Climate activists made a bold statement at the National Gallery in London by targeting Diego Velázquez's renowned masterpiece, "The Rokeby Venus." In a dramatic act of protest, two members of the Just Stop Oil activist group took aim at this iconic artwork, echoing a historic incident from over a century ago when suffragette Mary Richardson attacked the same painting in 1914.
"The Rokeby Venus," also known as "The Toilet of Venus," is a celebrated masterpiece that was created by Velázquez between 1647 and 1651. It has long held a cherished place in the National Gallery's collection, having been generously presented to the institution in 1906 by the National Art Collections Fund (now known as the Art Fund). Its acquisition was the result of a highly publicized fundraising campaign that sought to prevent the painting from being sold abroad.
The painting, which portrays the Roman goddess Venus in a reclined position with her back to the viewer, became the focal point of this recent protest. The two members of the Just Stop Oil group shared footage of their attack on social media. Their motive was to raise their voices against the issuance of new oil and gas licenses in the United Kingdom.
Notably, "The Rokeby Venus" had been subjected to a similar act of vandalism in history when Mary Richardson, a suffragette, attacked it on March 10, 1914, leaving seven deep gashes on the canvas. Following that incident, the painting underwent a thorough restoration process to repair the damage.
In response to the recent incident, a spokesperson for the National Gallery released a statement on November 6, 2023, confirming that two individuals had entered Room 30 of the National Gallery shortly before 11 a.m. The statement reported that the pair appeared to have used emergency rescue hammers to strike "The Toilet of Venus" by Velázquez. Subsequently, the room was cleared of visitors, and the police were summoned to the scene. As a result, two people were arrested in connection with the attack.
To safeguard the damaged artwork and assess the extent of the harm inflicted, the painting has been removed from public display and is now in the hands of conservators for examination and potential restoration.
Selena Mattei
