15 Spectacular Historic Moments in Wanton Art Desecration

Whether for noble, selfish, or straight-up dumb reasons, no work of art is safe from the scourge of mankind. Often times, people want to bring attention to an incredibly important cause, like climate change, equal rights, or some specific injustice. The point of their defacement is to make the general public reflect on its values: if we're getting so upset about some soup on a painting, shouldn't we be getting exponentially more upset over the death of our planet? 

Other times, it's pure clumsiness that has forced museums to call in the emergency art restoration squad: a kid punches through a painting trying to keep his balance after tripping, a man trips all the way down the stairs and knocks over some vases.

Whatever the intention, it all feels like a game of Clue: A Van Gogh, with tomato soup, to protest against Big Oil. The Rokeby Venus, with a meat cleaver, for women's suffrage. Two priceless Qing Dynasty vases, via elaborate slapstick-esque tumble down the stairs, because of an untied shoelace.