American Tourist Smashes Two Sculptures in the Vatican
(CNN) – Just when you thought the summer of tourists behaving badly was over, another person on vacation wrecks another priceless artifact.This time it’s the turn of an American tourist who smashed no fewer than two ancient Roman sculptures into pieces at the Vatican on Wednesday.The episode took place in the Museo Chiaramonte, part of the Vatican Museums, around lunchtime on Oct.
4. The space holds around 1,000 works of ancient statuary and describes itself as “one of the finest collections of Roman portraits” in the world.Two of those portraits are now facing an uncertain future after the tourist knocked over one in anger, then toppled another as he fled the scene.The man had demanded to see the pope, according to newspaper Il Messaggero.
When he was told he couldn’t, he allegedly hurled one Roman bust to the floor.As he ran off, with staff in pursuit, he knocked down another.The two works of art have been taken to the inhouse workshop to be assessed.
While around 2,000 years old, they are thought to be secondary works of art, rather than famous works, a source told Il Messaggero.Director of the Press Office for Vatican Museums Matteo Alessandrini told CNN that the American man, around 50 years old, was in the “Galleria Chiaramonte” corridor, which houses around 100 busts and statues.“The busts were affixed to shelves with a nail but if you pull them down with force they will come off,” he said. “He pulled down one and then the other and the guards came immediately and stopped him and consigned him to the Vatican police who brought him in for questioning.
