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In a surprising turn of events, the town hall of Maashorst in the Netherlands has admitted to the “most likely” accidental disposal of 46 artworks during renovation activities last year. Among these pieces was a notable Andy Warhol print featuring former Dutch Queen Beatrix, valued at approximately €15,000 (£12,800).
The Maashorst municipality reported that the artworks were temporarily stored in a basement as the town hall underwent renovations, but insufficient guidance on how to manage these items may have contributed to their unfortunate loss.
Mayor Hans van der Pas expressed regret over the incident in an interview with public broadcaster Omroep Brabant, stating, “That’s not how you treat valuables. But it happened. We regret that.”
According to a statement released on Thursday, the artworks were stored during the renovation of the Uden town hall, which is being integrated into the larger Maashorst municipality along with the neighboring Landerd.
The municipality’s statement suggested that the artworks were “most likely” discarded along with the trash. Investigations revealed that some pieces had been carelessly placed in wheelie bins and lacked proper handling, as reported by daily newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.
The investigative report concluded that there were significant lapses in ownership tracking, absence of established policies concerning renovations, and not enough action taken when the artworks were discovered missing. Additionally, it pointed to a general lack of protocols relating to the registration, storage, conservation, and security of the artworks.
Local media has estimated that the total value of the 46 missing artworks is around €22,000 (£18,800), with the municipality acknowledging that it is unlikely they will ever be recovered.
Queen Beatrix, who ruled the Netherlands from 1980 until her abdication in 2013, was the subject of Warhol’s famous print, part of a series titled Reigning Queens. This collection includes 16 vibrant prints depicting notable monarchs, such as Queen Elizabeth II, Margrethe II of Denmark, and Queen Ntombi Twala of Eswatini.
Warhol created these iconic prints in 1985, just two years before his death, solidifying his status as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century.
Interestingly, in November of the previous year, prints of Queen Beatrix and Queen Ntombi were involved in a theft from a Dutch art gallery. Law enforcement revealed that thieves made off with four Warhol prints but abandoned the portraits of the two queens when they proved too large to fit into their getaway vehicle.
Source
www.bbc.com