Vandal Who Slashed $3 Million Painting Was Owner’s Own Son, Say Police

Almost exactly one year ago, an unknown man jogged into the Opera Gallery in Aspen, walked up to Christopher Wool’s painting Untitled 2004, cut it twice with a knife, and jogged right out. Police now say that Nicholas Morley flew from London for the express purpose of damaging the artwork, which had been consigned to the gallery for sale by a holding company owned by Morley’s father. (Just days later, Dad tried to convince the gallery that news reports of the slashing had made the painting more valuable and that they should raise the price.)