How did he accidently place a tear in the painting?
There is art where I work. A few years back some genius with a mail cart accidently ran in to a painting. Didn't tear it, just scratched the paint. He had to explain that to the curator. Ack.
No idea. But there's lots of ways to damage a painting that are all pretty easy.
--It wasn't a priceless moment after all: Steve Wynn is suing Lloyd's of London for $54 million, claiming the insurance company failed to pay for reimbursement and restoration costs for Picasso's "Le Reve" after Wynn plunged his elbow through the painting Sept. 30. The painting was reportedly worth $139 million before the accident and no more than $85 million afterward; the $54 million figure represents the lost value of the 1932 painting. Lloyd's has agreed to pay $90,000 to restore the painting and a $21,000 consultant fee used for the restoration and increased security during that process, according to the Associated Press ...
From an earlier FR thread..... (gotta learn how to post links...)
"The accident occurred as a gesturing Wynn, who suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, an eye disease that affects peripheral vision, struck the painting with his right elbow, leaving a hole...."
Had to be one of those "Aww, s**t!!!" moments...
He accidently hit it with his elbow when he was turning back around.