Painting worth £740,000 ruined after ‘bored’ security guard draws eyes on faceless figures on his first day

Guard used ballpoint pen to add two pairs of eyes to three quarters of a million pound piece

The piece was on display at a gallery in Yekaterinburg, Russia (The Art Newspaper Russia)

A painting worth £740,000 has been ruined after a security guard drew two pairs of eyes on the faceless figures on his first day on the job.

The painting by artist Anna Leporskaya, called Three Figures, was on display in an abstract art exhibition at the Yeltsin Center in the city of Yekaterinburg, Russia.

The guard in his 60s was reportedly ‘bored’ and ended up doodling eyes with a ballpoint pen.

Police have launched an investigation into vandalism, which comes with a £395 fine or one year sentence to correctional labour.

Experts are hopefully the piece can be restored to its former glory without any long term damage.

Fortunately it’s not believed the damage is permanent (The Art Newspaper Russia)

The estimated cost of the restoration work is £2470), the Daily Mail reports, with the painting itself insured for £740,000.

According to the Art Newspaper Russia website, said it was fortunate the vandal didn’t apply too much pressure to the additions.

The site added that the eyes were first spotted in December last year by visitors to the gallery, and claimed that the police weren’t interested in prosecuting the case as the cost of the damage was ‘insignificant’.

The original artist Leporskaya passed away in 1982 aged 82, and worked with a number of avant-garde artists in her lifetime.

The gallery issued a statement on the vandalism earlier this week.

A spokesperson said: “We inform you that during the investigation, the person who painted the eyes on the figures in the painting by Anna Leporskaya was identified - this is an employee of a private security organization that carries out security activities of the Yeltsin Center.

“The damage was done with a ballpoint pen.

“The work was inspected by the restorer of the State Tretyakov Gallery the very next day and sent to Moscow.

“The painting is being restored, the damage, according to the expert, can be eliminated without consequences for the work of art.”