A climate protestor glued his shaved head to the world-famous "Girl with a Pearl Earring" painting at a museum in The Hague Thursday, the latest in a series of stunts targeting iconic artworks.A second activist glued his hand to the wall next to the painting and poured a can of tomato soup over his accomplice’s head, before going on a rant about climate change while being jeered by stunned onlookers.
Dutch master Johannes Vermeer’s 1665 canvas is protected by glass at the Mauritshuis museum and was not damaged, gallery staff said.
"The police were notified and three people have been arrested. The condition of the painting was inspected by our restorer. Fortunately, the glass-covered masterwork was not damaged," the museum said.
The bizarre act was captured on video that circulated on social media showing two men approaching the renowned oil painting, both wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan "Just Stop Oil."
The activist who glued his hand to the wall says in lightly accented English. "How do you feel when you see something beautiful and priceless being apparently destroyed before your very eyes? Do you feel outraged? Good."
"That is that same feeling when you see the planet being destroyed before our very eyes," he adds.
The stunt was met with cries of indignation from museum visitors, who yelled "shame on you" and "stupid" at the two provocateurs.
One of them noted that the painting was "protected by glass and is just fine...the future of our children is not protected."
The two men in the video were seen being led away by cops in additional footage.
Dutch police said in a statement they had arrested three Belgian men in their 40s for damage to public property and were conducting a forensic investigation. They were being questioned.