Woman charged over paint attack on Derain masterpiece

A woman in her 20s has been charged over the 2024 paint attack on André Derain’s Woman in a Chemise at the National Gallery of Denmark in Copenhagen, state prosecutor documents obtained by Ritzau show.

The 1906 painting, valued in the hundreds of millions, was targeted by activists who threw orange paint at it on 1 December 2024. Video posted by the group Nødbremsen shows two men smashing the paint onto the glass-covered work, damaging the frame. The canvas itself was unharmed.

Prosecutors allege the woman acted in concert with the two men, whose cases are being handled separately. They argue the vandalism was systematic and organised, factors that could increase any penalty. The frame’s restoration cost 15,354.22 kr.

The museum’s director, Astrid la Cour, declined to detail security changes but stressed the institution’s duty to protect art for current and future generations. The woman, a known climate activist with a higher education, faces trial in November at Copenhagen City Court. Her lawyer has not commented due to leave.

In June 2024, a provocateur artist received 18 months for vandalising an Asger Jorn painting. Abroad, climate protests have also targeted art, including soup thrown at the Mona Lisa’s protective glass in Paris.