Defaced at Tate Modern in London by Vladimir Umanets, a Russian-born artist attempting to promote a movement known as 'yellowism' Photograph: WrightTG/Twitter
In 1987, ex-soldier Robert Cambridge entered the National Gallery in London, took aim from seven feet away and fired his shotgun at Leonardo's cartoon. His bullet shattered the protective glass and made a six-inch hole in the work. The shooter's intent was to show disgust at the 'political, social and economic conditions in Britain'. He was later institutionalised Photograph: PA
On Pentecost Sunday in 1972, Laszlo Toth climbed over the rail in St Peter's Cappella della Pietà aisle. Yelling 'I am Jesus Christ!' he took a hammer to Michelangelo's depiction of the Virgin Mary, damaging her left forearm, her nose and one of her eyelids. He was later confined for two years in an Italian mental institution Photograph: Massimo Sambucetti/AP
In 1985, a man pulled out a knife in the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg and thrust it in Danaë's lower belly. He then threw a litre of sulphuric acid over the painting Photograph: Alexander Demianchuk/Reuters
Having survived in the hills above the Banyan valley in Afghanistan since the 6th century, the Gandharan statues finally met their match in the form of a hardline Taliban regime in 2001. A protracted attempt to destroy the Buddhas included dynamite, artillery, anti-tank mines, rocket launchers and explosives Photograph: AP
On 10 March 1914, Mary Richardson entered the National Gallery in London with a meat cleaver hidden under her coat and attacked the Rokeby Venus. She surrendered when apprehended by the guard on duty. 'Yes, I am a suffragette. You can get another picture, but you cannot get a life, as they are killing Mrs Pankhurst.' Pankhurst was on hunger strike in prison at the time Photograph: Stefano Bianchetti/Corbis
A group of drunken intruders broke into the Musée d'Orsay in 2007 and punched a 10cm hole in Monet's famous impressionist depiction of Argenteuil Bridge Photograph: Thibault Camus/AP
Andres Serrano stands in front of Piss Christ after the photograph had been vandalised with a hammer, in the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia, on 13 October 1997. It was also attacked with hammers and sharp objects at the Collection Lambert art museum in Avignon on Palm Sunday in 2011 Photograph: News Ltd/AFP/Getty Images
In 1974, Tony Shafrazi, the owner of an art gallery in New York took spray paint to the canvas at the MoMA, and wrote 'LIES ALL LIES'. He then added the word 'KILL'. This was later described as an 'anti-war' act Photograph: AP
Paul Kelleher, a 37-year-old theatre producer attacked the 'Iron Lady' sculpture using a cricket bat and a metal baluster guarding the sculpture at the Guildhall Art Gallery in London. In his defence in court Kelleher said he 'believed the values of leaders like Lady Thatcher were doing irreparable damage to the world which his two-year-old son was growing up in' Photograph: PA
On a Saturday in 1999, Yuan Cai and Jian Jun Xi, stripped to their trousers, jumped on Turner prize exhibit My Bed and had a pillow fight. The men considered their act to be performance art, 'like theatre' Photograph: Li Mang/PA
Rodin's signed replica of The Thinker was defaced in Buenos Aires in August 2011. The sculpture was spray-painted pink and given green hair and a shoulder tattoo Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Described as an 'eyesore' by the locals, the Scallop, on the Aldeburgh seafront, has been abused with paint numerous times Photograph: Philippe Hays/Rex Features
Two unorchestrated attacks were made on 18 September 1997 on Harvey's controversial painting of Moors murderer Myra Hindley, displayed at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. The first attack was by artist Peter Fisher, who used red and blue ink. The second was by Jacques Role, another artist, who threw eggs on the already damaged painting Photograph: Kavanagh/Rex Features
The painting of South African president Jacob Zuma with his genitals exposed was attacked in a gallery in Johannesburg in May 2012. A university professor painted a red cross over his face and penis, while another disfigured the work using black paint Photograph: Gallo Images/Rex Features
