I think glass is not often used because it would impair the viewer's appreciation of the work. You'd get some glare on the glass or not be able to see the texture as well and so on. I think spray painting it is an especially dickish thing to do at the Menil. It's got world class art and it's free of charge. Seems like a slap in the face to the museum that is so generous. It's like going to someone's house for dinner and then crapping in their living room.
"Menil communications director*Vance Muse,reached in Germany Monday, said the painting was rushed down the hall, with the paint barely dry, to the museum's renowned conservation lab, where chief conservator*Brad Epley quickly began its*repair." Settle down guys.
That is not really true. Museums generally don't have enough space (exhibition and storage) to have a bunch of copies, nevermind how dishonest that would be. The spraypaint would be in the acrylic polymer range and the paint surface would be in the oil range so that is a huge solvent difference and no big deal to remove the vandalism. Picasso did not like to use varnishes but one could very easily have been on the painting because of previous interventions. If it had a varnish, it would have been even more protected.
