Warhol print of former Dutch Queen Beatrix unintentionally thrown away

A Dutch city corridor has admitted that it “almost definitely” unintentionally disposed of 46 artworks, together with an Andy Warhol print of the previous Dutch queen, throughout renovation works final yr.

Maashorst municipality stated the works, together with a Eighties silkscreen print of Queen Beatrix price about €15,000 (£12,800), disappeared throughout work on a city corridor final yr.

An investigation stated the artworks have been saved in a basement throughout renovations and a scarcity of pointers for storing the artworks may have been among the many the reason why they ended up being thrown away.

Mayor Hans van der Pas informed public broadcaster Omroep Brabant: “That is not the way you deal with valuables. But it surely occurred. We remorse that.”

A press release by the municipality on Thursday stated the artworks have been put into storage throughout work on a city corridor in Uden – which is being included into the neighbouring municipality of Landerd to kind the Maashorst municipality.

“It is almost definitely that the artworks have been unintentionally taken away with the trash,” they stated.

A report by investigators discovered that a number of the artworks have been saved in wheelie bins within the basement and have been “not dealt with with care”, in accordance with native newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.

The report concluded: “Possession was not correctly established, no insurance policies and procedures have been established concerning the renovation and inadequate motion was taken when the artworks turned out to be lacking.”

It went on to say {that a} lack of pointers for registration, storage, conservation and safety of the artworks, have been additionally contributing elements.

Native media studies that the 46 artworks altogether have been price round €22,000 (£18,800) and the Maashorst municipality stated it was unlikely they are going to ever be discovered.

Queen Beatrix reigned as queen of the Netherlands from 1980 till she abdicated in 2013, when she was succeeded by her son King Willem-Alexander.

The Queen Beatrix print was a part of Warhol’s collection Reigning Queens, which comprised of 16 vibrant prints of 4 monarchs, together with the late Queen Elizabeth II, Margrethe II of Denmark – who abdicated in 2023 – and Queen Ntombi Twala of Eswatini, beforehand often called Swaziland.

Warhol, thought of one of many best artists of the twentieth Century, created the prints in 1985 – two years earlier than his demise.

In November final yr, Warhol prints of Queen Beatrix and Ntombi Twala have been stolen – and deserted – throughout a heist on a Dutch artwork gallery.

Native police on the time stated thieves took 4 silkscreen prints from the MPV Gallery within the North Brabant province and fled by automobile.

However the portraits of Queen Beatrix and Queen Ntombi have been later deserted as a result of they didn’t match within the car, NOS reported on the time.