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Mark Rothko painting at Tate Modern defaced Mark Rothko painting at Tate Modern defaced
(35 minutes later)
A painting by artist Mark Rothko at the Tate Modern has been defaced by a small amount of black paint, a spokeswoman for the gallery has confirmed.A painting by artist Mark Rothko at the Tate Modern has been defaced by a small amount of black paint, a spokeswoman for the gallery has confirmed.
The London gallery said one of the artist's Seagram murals was defaced at about 15:25 BST.The London gallery said one of the artist's Seagram murals was defaced at about 15:25 BST.
Paintings by the Modernist painter, one of America's most important post-war artists, have sold for tens of millions of pounds.Paintings by the Modernist painter, one of America's most important post-war artists, have sold for tens of millions of pounds.
The gallery was shut for a short period and then reopened.The gallery was shut for a short period and then reopened.
Police are investigating the incident.Police are investigating the incident.
'Quick exit''Quick exit'
On Twitter, eyewitness Tim Wright said: "This guy calmly walked up, took out a marker pen and tagged it. Surreal.On Twitter, eyewitness Tim Wright said: "This guy calmly walked up, took out a marker pen and tagged it. Surreal.
"We gave a description to the gallery. Very bizarre. He sat there for a while then just went for it and made a quick exit.""We gave a description to the gallery. Very bizarre. He sat there for a while then just went for it and made a quick exit."
Mr Wright later uploaded a picture to Twitter which showed five or six words on the bottom-right corner of the painting with black streaks of paint running down from the daubed writing.Mr Wright later uploaded a picture to Twitter which showed five or six words on the bottom-right corner of the painting with black streaks of paint running down from the daubed writing.
They appear to read: "Vladimir Umanets, A Potential Piece of Yellowism."They appear to read: "Vladimir Umanets, A Potential Piece of Yellowism."
A Tate spokeswoman said: "Tate can confirm that there was an incident in which a visitor defaced one of Rothko's Seagram murals by applying a small area of black paint with a brush to the painting."A Tate spokeswoman said: "Tate can confirm that there was an incident in which a visitor defaced one of Rothko's Seagram murals by applying a small area of black paint with a brush to the painting."
Conservationist Julia Nagle said she had "every faith" the defaced painting could be restored.
"The first thing you need to know is what the painting was originally made of, in order to distinguish between the solubility of what you want to get rid of and the original painting.
"Fortunately, in the case of Rothko, there's a massive body of research into his techiuques - and a great convservation department at Tate."
She added the grafitti would be "much more soluble because it is newer", meaning damage to the existing layers would be unlikely.
Russian-born Rothko emigrated to the US at the age of 10, and went on to become an important post-war abstract expressionist.Russian-born Rothko emigrated to the US at the age of 10, and went on to become an important post-war abstract expressionist.
He was commissioned to paint the Seagram murals in 1958 for Manhattan's Four Seasons restaurant, but they were never installed.He was commissioned to paint the Seagram murals in 1958 for Manhattan's Four Seasons restaurant, but they were never installed.
Shortly before his death in 1970, he presented some of the murals to the Tate Gallery.Shortly before his death in 1970, he presented some of the murals to the Tate Gallery.
In May, Rothko's Orange, red, yellow was sold for $86.9 million (£53.8m) when it went under the hammer at Christie's in New York.In May, Rothko's Orange, red, yellow was sold for $86.9 million (£53.8m) when it went under the hammer at Christie's in New York.