[3] Although the artist's wife Saskia was the original model for Danaë, Rembrandt later changed the figure's face to that of his mistress Geertje Dircx.

On June 15, 1985[6][7] Rembrandt's painting was attacked by Bronius Maigys, a Soviet Lithuanian national later judged insane; he threw sulfuric acid on the canvas and cut it twice with his knife.

[8] The entire central part of the composition was turned into a mixture of spots with a conglomerate of splashes and areas of dripping paint.

N. Gerasimov (group leader), A. G. Rakhman, and G. A. Shirokov, with the participation of T. P. Alioshina in matters of scientific methodology.

According to Russian journalists who have read the manuscript, the author seeks the image of a martyr who fought for Lithuania's freedom, has no regrets, and would do the same.