Woman fined for kissing painting

Rindy Sam said her kiss was an act of devotion

A woman who kissed a £1.37m painting, leaving a lipstick stain, has been ordered to pay 1,500 euros (£1,074) in damages to its owner by a French judge.

Cambodian-born Rindy Sam told the court in the southern French city of Avignon that she was "overcome with passion" when she saw the painting in July.

The plain white canvas, part of triptych by artist Cy Twombly, was on show at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

She must also pay a symbolic one euro (71p) to the US artist.

The gallery owner will also receive 500 euros (£357).

Restorers have been unable to remove the lipstick and have unsuccessfully used 30 products to get rid of the stain.

At her trial in October, Ms Sam said the kiss was an act of devotion to the work of art.

"I just gave it a kiss. It was an act of love, when I kissed it, I wasn't thinking. I thought the artist would understand," she said.

The plain canvas (right) was kissed by Ms Sam

But Agnes Tricoire, lawyer for the picture's owner, said the kiss was "as aggressive as a punch," causing damage that was just as hard to restore.

"I do not share the same vision of love. For me love requires the consent of both sides," she said.

Twombly, who was born in 1928, is known for his abstract paintings combining painting and drawing techniques, repetitive lines and the use of graffiti, letters and words.

He won the Venice Golden Lion award for his work in 2001.