Rome's Iconic Elephant Sculpture Faces Another Tusk Trouble
An investigation is underway after a fragment of Rome's beloved elephant sculpture, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, was found detached. The tip, not original but a restoration from 1977, broke before in 2016. Surveillance is being reviewed to identify any culprits. The sculpture, by the Pantheon, is a tourist favorite.
- Country:
- Italy
In a puzzling incident, Italian police are investigating the recent detachment of a marble fragment from Rome's cherished elephant sculpture by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. The tip of its left tusk, broken for a second time, was found over the weekend near the statue.
The missing piece, an 11-centimetre fragment, was not part of Bernini's original work, having been added during a restoration in 1977. The same tip had previously fallen during an act of vandalism in 2016, according to Rome’s city hall.
The stocky sculpture, prominently positioned near the Pantheon, ranks among popular tourist attractions. Commissioned by Pope Alexander VII, it sits on the Piazza della Minerva, meeting intrigue over its design that combines an Egyptian obelisk and an elephant's support structure, charmingly dubbed as ''Minerva's Piglet.''
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