Suzanne Meyer-Busser, curator of the Art Collection of North Rhine-Westphalia, explained in front of Mondrian's work "No. 1 New York City" that the painting had been hung upside down for 70 years.

(Reuters file photo)

◎Guan Shuping

An artwork by the abstract Dutch painter Piet Mondrian has been hanging upside down in various galleries for 75 years, an art historian has said.

A painting by Dutch abstract painter Piet Mondrian has been hung upside down in different galleries for 75 years, an art historian says.

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Despite the recent discovery, the work, entitled New York City I, will continue to be displayed the wrong way up to avoid it being damaged.

But despite this recent discovery, the work, titled "New York City No. 1," will continue to be displayed upside down to avoid damage to the painting.

It has hung at the art collection of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Düsseldorf since 1980.

The work has hung in the North Rhine-Westphalia Art Collection in Düsseldorf since 1980.

Curator Susanne Meyer-Büser noticed the longstanding error when researching the museum's new show on the artist earlier this year, but warned it could disintegrate if it was hung the right side up now.

Curator Suzanne Meyer-Busser discovered the long-standing mistake when researching the museum's new exhibit on the painter earlier this year, but warned that hanging it in the correct orientation now could dismantle the painting .

news dictionary

upside down: phrase, upside down, big mess.

Example sentence: The tragedy turned his life upside down. (This tragedy turned his life upside down.)

the wrong way up: phrase, up and down in the wrong place.

Example sentence: The picture was hung the wrong way up. (The picture was hung up and down.)

disintegrate: verb, disintegrate, fall apart.

Example sentences: The sex scandal disintegrated their marriage. (The sex scandal caused their marriage to break down.)