Botched painting restoration fuels calls for new rules to protect artworks

Conservationist claims politicians ‘don’t give a toss’ in wake of ‘Potato Madonna’ fiasco

Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables
The original Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables by Murillo at the Prado Museum in Madrid
(Image credit: Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images)

Art lovers are calling for new rules governing restoration after a famous 17th century painting by Spanish artist Bartolome Esteban Murillo got an unwelcome makeover.

A private collector in Valencia reportedly paid €1,200 (£1,084) to a furniture restorer to clean a copy of The Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables. But “the job did not go as planned and the face of the Virgin Mary was left unrecognisable despite two attempts to restore it to its original state”, says The Guardian.

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