Greece’s National Gallery says a Greek lawmaker attacked four paintings in an exhibition, including one he had previously criticized as offensive on religious grounds.

In a shocking act of vandalism, a religious politician attacked four artworks on display in Greece's national museum, forcing it to close.

Four works by artist Christoforos Katsadiotis were vandalised earlier this week, The National Gallery - Alexandros Soutsos Museum in Athens confirmed

A far-right Greek lawmaker attacked four paintings in an exhibition at the country's National Gallery on Monday, the gallery said, after he had described one as offensive because of its distorted depictions of Christ and the Virgin Mary.

Nikolaos Papadopoulos, of the small right-wing, ultra-religious Niki party, attacked the paintings in The National Gallery - Alexandros Soutsos Museum. The exhibition includes works that caricature religious icons and themes.