Staff and students have been distressed to discover that a much loved painting that hangs in the Zeeman Building was deliberately damaged.

Between 15:00 on Tuesday 3 November and 11:00 on Thursday 5 November 2015 someone used a black pen to draw over the painting Exposed Painting Zinc Yellow by Callum Innes. This painting was acquired not long after Innes left university. This acquisition helped to establish him as a major British artist.

A specialist conservator has been brought in. She may be able to save the work but to do so, we absolutely need to know what sort of pen was used. Given the importance of this painting and the fact that it is part of a collection that is managed for the nation, there is an amnesty for the return of the pen.

Please could you post the pen either through the internal or general post to Liz Dooley, Deputy Curator, Mead Gallery, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL. e.a.dooley@warwick.ac.uk (telephone 024 765 24173).

There will be no action taken against the perpetrator as long as the pen is sent to us.

There is some urgency on this matter. As usual, 600 children aged 6 years old from disadvantaged areas of Coventry will spend next term on campus, working on a project called Take Part in Art. This work is one to which they respond strongly and it features in the teaching they receive.

Please, if you have the pen, send it to us.

Thank you.