During renovations at the Maashorst municipality's town hall in the Netherlands, a valuable Andy Warhol silkscreen print of Queen Beatrix, along with 45 other artworks, was inadvertently discarded. The Warhol piece, part of his 1985 "Reigning Queens" series, was valued at over $17,000, contributing to a total estimated loss of nearly $25,000. The artworks had been stored in the building's basement, which suffered water damage in September 2023. Due to the absence of proper documentation and protocols for handling art during the renovation, the pieces were likely mistaken for bulk waste and thrown away. Mayor Hans van der Pas acknowledged the mishandling and emphasized the need for improved procedures to prevent such losses in the future.
May 6, 2025