Soup Terror Attempt on Masterpiece at France Orsay Museum... Failed Attempt

[Image source=Orsay Museum official website]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] It was recently revealed that an environmental activist group opposing the use of fossil fuels attempted to throw soup at artworks in the Orsay Museum in Paris, France, but failed. The act is presumed to have been carried out by activists belonging to 'Just Stop Oil,' who have conducted similar protests in London, UK, and The Hague, Netherlands.

According to the French daily Le Parisien on the 31st (local time), the activist was caught on the 27th at the museum while trying to reveal a T-shirt with the group's name by taking off their outer garment. Initially, the activist attempted to glue paper onto Vincent van Gogh's self-portrait, but when stopped by security, they changed direction and rushed toward a work by Paul Gauguin, which was also prevented.

The bottle the activist was holding contained soup. After security confiscated the bottle, the activist quickly left the museum and disappeared before the police arrived. Although no actual damage occurred, the Orsay Museum filed a complaint against the activist, and the Paris Prosecutor's Office has reportedly launched an investigation.

On the same day as the incident at the Orsay Museum, 'Just Stop Oil' activists also glued paper onto Johannes Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' at the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague, Netherlands. They poured tomato soup on van Gogh's masterpiece 'Sunflowers' at the National Gallery in London, UK, and threw chocolate cake at the wax figure of King Charles III at Madame Tussauds Museum in London.

As attacks targeting masterpieces by environmental groups have increased worldwide, Rima Abdul Malak, France's Minister of Culture, urged national museums to strengthen security measures.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.