The museum is okay, nobody was hurt, security did their job, and the NYC police took care of the vandal. Meanwhile, a few centuries old artworks surely had a rough day and a 19 year-old named Joshua Vavrin, is now facing vandalism charges instead of selfies and souvenirs.
According to the police, the total damage is about $4,000—$1,000-ish damage for each artwork he thought was a good idea to ruin. Not chump change by any means and definitely not the type of “art appreciation” those in the museum world want to see.
So What Did He Do Actually?
Witnesses said Vavrin walked into the Metropolitan Museum of Art on a Monday afternoon and began splashing water on paintings for reasons known only to him.
One of those paintings was not just any painting—it was The Princess de Broglie, the oil painting masterpiece from the 19th century, by French Neoclassical artist Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres. It was part of the European collection at The Met, her silk dress shimmering, the lace so delicate, and the pearls almost sparkling. Ingres painted it at the request of the husband of the princess, shortly after they married.
Yet another artwork damaged was Madonna and Child with Saints, a 16th-century altarpiece by the Italian artist Girolamo dai Libri. As if attacking two paintings wasn’t enough, two tapestries made for the history books were slashed as well.
A Visit to the Museum That Went Very Wrong
It was supposed to be a quiet afternoon at the museum– classic museum atmosphere: tourists meandering, quiet conversations, and guards with heavy eyelids. But the visitors witnessed a teenager digging into artifacts as if it was their own escape room Otherwise, other guests immediately reported him and security removed the individual before more damage occurred.
On Tuesday, the police found the boy at a hotel in Times Square and arrested him. Authorities suspect he was under the influence of something but did not say what substance. The motive? That remains a mystery.
The Museum’s Response
Using the polite, measured language which museums are known for, The Met issued a statement that the patron was “acting erratically” and thanked the NYPD and museum security for ensuring the safety of staff, guests, and the collection.
However, behind the scenes, art preservation teams now have a new issue: drying fragile, centuries-old oil paint will not simply involve a towel and a hair dryer; every droplet of water is a restoration nightmare.
And here’s the weird part
No one knows why he did it. No manifesto, no posting a protest sign, no rant on social media – just vandalism. A quiet gallery, expensive art, complete chaos.
If You Are Curious Who This Teenager Is
Joshua Vavrin, 19, from Wisconsin, is visiting New York, and now is forever part of one of the more underwhelming tales from a world tour. While most travelers take home key chains, postcards from museums, and even that iconic photo by the Eiffel Tower, Joshua Vavrin returned home with a criminal charge.
That part that should have been the beginning
The Metropolitan Museum of Art—The Met—is perhaps the most revered museum on the planet and is home to masterpieces from painters, sculptors, ancient jewelry, and enough security cameras to make a documentary. People don’t go to a museum to steal art; they go to see great beauty, tall it took a long time to make historic pieces.
But on that fall afternoon this visitor turned an admiration of history and creativity into devastation. But instead of walking out with a memory, this humongous 6’5” 19-year-old is going to walk out with a legal mess.
