Valuable Warhol Print Disposed of During Town Hall Renovation

An integral part of art history has disappeared. During renovation work at a town hall in the Dutch municipality of Maashorst, a print by famous artist Andy Warhol was inadvertently tossed in the garbage. The print was one of Warhol’s “Reigning Queens” series. This fascinating assemblage features striking photographs of four recently retired monarchs, including Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

Created in 1985, just two years before Warhol’s death, the “Reigning Queens” series includes prints of Queen Beatrix, Queen Elizabeth II, Margrethe II of Denmark, and Queen Ntombi Twala of Eswatini. Each print, particularly the one of Queen Beatrix, is richly symbolic. We’re told that the silkscreen print by itself would go for approximately €15,000!

The Dutch municipality of Maashorst stated that 46 artworks were unaccounted for during the renovation. In a subsequent inquiry, it was discovered that some of the artworks had just been thrown in wheelie bins in the basement. This negligence led to their unintentional destruction.

“It’s most likely that the artworks were accidentally taken away with the trash,” – they said.

The finders’ report criticized the city for failing to clearly delineate the ownership of the works. They underscored the absence of clear policies or procedures for dealing with these artworks during renovations. It found that lack of prompt or effective action was taken when the artworks were found to be missing.

Hans van der Pas, a transport policy adviser for the municipality, said he deeply regretted the incident.

“That’s not how you treat valuables. But it happened. We regret that.” – Hans van der Pas

The loss of these artworks is especially heartbreaking given the cultural importance they impart. Queen Beatrix reigned over the Netherlands from 1980 until her abdication in 2013. In her wake, King Willem-Alexander ascended to the throne. The Warhol print wasn’t the only artwork attracting attention. In another surreal twist, last November, a print of the performative portrait of Queen Beatrix and Ntombi Twala was stolen in a high-profile heist at a Dutch art gallery but later found abandoned.