alleged climate activist The paint on the case is dirty A lawsuit has been filed over a sculpture of 19th-century French artist Edgar Degas’s “Little Dancer, 14 Years Old” that is housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
Joanna Smith, 54, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced by federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., to 60 days in prison, with a potential sentence of up to five years for desecrating a historic statue. It was. stated in the release.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson also ordered Smith to serve 24 months of supervised release and 150 hours of community service, 10 of which must include cleaning up graffiti.
Smith also paid compensation for the damage to Degas’ sculpture and was banned from entering the Houses of Parliament and all museums and monuments for two years.
Climate change activist charged with soiling paint on Degas sculpture at National Gallery
Joanna Smith and her co-conspirators sit smearing paint on the case containing Edgar Degas’s “The Little Dancer of Fourteen” at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (Ellie Silverman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The attorney’s office said Smith traveled to Washington, D.C., with other co-conspirators on April 27, 2023, and is suspected of targeting the sculpture.
According to reports, the two smuggled the paint in plastic bottles, had other co-conspirators film themselves staining the paint on the base and see-through case, and occasionally used brute force to steal the approximately 143-year-old artwork using cellphones. It is suspected that the photo was taken at release.
Joanna Smith and her co-conspirators paint the case housing Edgar Degas’s “The Little Dancer of 14” at the National Gallery of Art on Thursday, April 27, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Ellie Silverman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
According to government evidence, Mr. Smith, along with other co-conspirators, produced a video statement explaining their intentions.
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They also alerted two Washington Post reporters who arrived and took photos of the vandalism.
Joanna Smith and her co-conspirators sit in front of Edgar Degas’ “The Little Dancer of 14” at the National Gallery of Art on Thursday, April 27, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Ellie Silverman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The April 27 incident caused $4,000 in damage and forced staff to remove “Little Dancer” from the gallery for 10 days for repairs, the release states.
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This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, specifically the FBI Art Crimes Team, with assistance from the National Museum Police and the U.S. Park Police.
