200 Year-Old Toes Stolen!

A statue's toes, but still!

He just wanted a picture with the statue.

An Austrian tourist in Italy ended up breaking off the toes of a statue by Italian Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova after sitting on the statue for a photo. He noticed the damage, picked up the toes and walked away. Check out the video footage in this tweet from CNN:

 

The statue was an original cast model by Canova of Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon Bonaparte’s sister. The marble version of the statue is in the Borghese Gallery in Rome.

COVID-19 Measures Helped Find Suspect

The local police “were able to establish, immediately, that that person was part of a group of Austrian tourists who, in compliance with the current provisions on health prevention, had regularly booked the visit through accreditation, sent by mail to the museum.” (Source) They called the number on record and a woman answered and eventually, through tears, admited that it was her husband who had damaged the statue. The man sent an email of apology as well as his photos and personal details to the police.

The man may still face charges.

Image: Carabinieri Treviso