On Saturday, June 1, an environmental activist was arrested after sticking a protest sign to Claude Monet's 1873 'Coquelicots' (Poppy Field) at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris.
The action was carried out by a member of Riposte Alimentaire (Food Response), a group of environmental activists and defenders of sustainable food production in response to the climate crisis. The group has been protesting at museums throughout Europe for years, most recently at the Louvre last month.
In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, the woman, who describes herself as a "concerned citizen," is seen overlaying French Impressionist Monet's 'Poppy Field' painting with a blood-red poster.
She said the poster featuring Monet's art, "this nightmarish image awaits us if no alternative is put in place." She added that they can expect hell at four degrees, citing forecasts that Earth's temperature could reach 4 Celsius over pre-industrial levels by 2050.
Monet's painting, completed in 1873, depicts people strolling in a blooming poppy field carrying umbrellas. The painting is included in the special 'Paris 1874, Inventing Impressionism' exhibition at the Musee d'Orsay, featuring 130 pieces by 31 artists.
The Musee d'Orsay informed AFP that a restoration expert had inspected the painting and found no permanent damage. It added that it had been put back on the wall.
"The exhibition is entirely accessible to the public again," a spokesperson said.
Furthermore, the spokesman said that the museum would file a criminal complaint.
Monet's paintings have brought in tens of millions of dollars at auction, with his painting 'Meules' ('Haystacks') sold for more than $110 million at auction in 2019.
Riposte Alimentaire has claimed responsibility for several attacks on artwork in France to raise awareness of climate issues and declining food quality.
