Museumgoers, Take Heed!

An American tourist in Florence, Italy, apparently never learned the fundamental rule of museum-going: "Look but don't touch." The visitor to the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo was trying to measure his own hand against that of a 600-year-old Giovanni d'Ambrogio statue of the Virgin Mary when he accidentally snapped off the statue's pinkie. Art-lovers may be somewhat relieved to learn that the finger in question was from a later repair and not original to the sculpture. Still, the gaffe should serve as a reminder to all of us to keep our hands to ourselves when dealing with priceless works of art. More...