Berlusconi angers art restorers by replacing body parts on statues
November 20th, 2010 - 2:42 pm ICT by ANINew York, Nov 20 (ANI): After Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi angered art restorers by replacing missing body parts of ancient marble statues in his office, Italy’s culture ministry has come forward to say there is no cause for alarm.
The ministry, which is led by a close ally of Berlusconi, 74, said in a statement that the hand added to Venus and the penis added to Mars are attached by magnets and can be removed without damage, the New York Post reported.
According to La Repubblica, Vatican Museums director Antonio Paolucci, one of Italy’s top restoration experts, said “it’s a pity” restorers did not say no to Berlusconi’s request to add parts to the second century statues in Chigi Palace.
For decades, restorers have widely agreed that missing parts of ancient statues should not be recreated, but Berlusconi’s personal architect insisted that the restoration was justified.
Mario Catalano said the restoration of the missing parts was based of scans of “other works with similar poses and with the agreement of the ministry’s restorers”.
He said the statues were among many ancient treasures relegated to the storerooms of Rome’s museums because there just isn’t enough space to display everything.
Catalano added the sculptured pair “would have never seen the light of day” had Berlusconi not decided to have them taken from the storerooms and put in the palace courtyard. (ANI)
- Ancient statue in Italian premier's office repaired - Nov 19, 2010
- 2,000 years old Venus had red lips, golden hair - Mar 02, 2012
- Italian PM appoints new cabinet - Nov 16, 2011
- TV twins 'among 33 women Berlusconi slept with at parties' - Mar 17, 2011
- Berlusconi's son worries foes can hurt broadcasting empire - Jul 01, 2011
- Berlusconi lawyers say new 'bunga bunga' claims are false - Apr 14, 2011
- Italy wants an end to capital punishment - Oct 11, 2011
- Now, Berlusconi chooses "Jolie of Puglia" as his party's poll candidate - Feb 19, 2010
- Italian porn star praises Berlusconi for sex life - Jan 23, 2011
- 'New Caravaggio' a copy, admits Vatican - Jul 27, 2010
- Artefacts stolen from Egypt's national museum - Feb 13, 2011
- Berlusconi backs ex-minister as his successor - Jul 08, 2011
- Italian PM Berlusconi wins crucial confidence vote in Parliament - Jun 22, 2011
- Egyptian pharoah's statue found in trash after two weeks - Feb 17, 2011
- I'm Berlusconi's secret lover, says beauty queen - Sep 30, 2011
Tags: ally, ancient statues, ancient treasures, angers, antonio paolucci, body parts, culture ministry, enough space, la repubblica, magnets, marble statues, mario catalano, new york post, palace courtyard, prime minister silvio, prime minister silvio berlusconi, restoration experts, restorers, silvio berlusconi, vatican museums