Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ Back On Display After Protestors Dirty It With Soup

Following a protest by climate activists that saw Vincent van Gogh’s famed Sunflowers painting get doused with tomato soup, London’s National Gallery has announced the artwork is now back on display after being cleaned up.

Two visitors clad in ‘Just Stop Oil’ T-shirts had suddenly begun opening tins and tossing the soupy contents onto the piece in the middle of the museum, before gluing their hands to the wall.

According to the BBC, the gallery said that the painting had been covered by glass, and was fortunately not damaged. Only “some minor damage” was seen on the frame housing the work. 

As per Reuters, the two women involved in the stunt—aged 21 and 20—have both been arrested, and are set to appear at the Westminster Magistrates’ Court for causing “criminal damage to the frame of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers painting.” 

This isn’t the first time activists have taken to high-profile artworks to make a stance, with another two protestors gluing themselves to one of the Vatican’s most-prized sculptures earlier in August. 

[via BBC and Reuters, cover image via Just Stop Oil]