Priceless Rembrandt Heavily Damaged

A priceless Rembrandt painting hanging in the Hermitage Museum was severely damaged in an attack by a “madman” last Saturday, the director of the Leningrad Museum said today.

Boris B. Piotrovsky said in a telephone interview from Leningrad that an “insane man” threw unspecified liquid at a portrait of “Danae” done by the Dutch painter in 1636.

Piotrovsky refused to say what kind of liquid was thrown. He said the surface layer of paint was damaged and the painting was being restored.

“It will reappear in all its former beauty. All the rumors that it has been destroyed are lies,” he said.