Bernini’s marble elephant, the historical symbol at the base of the obelisk in Piazza della Minerva in Rome, has suffered damage: one of its tusks was broken. The alarm was raised yesterday evening with a report to the municipal Superintendency and the local police intervened immediately on the spot.
The agents of the I Trevi Group recovered the fragment that fell between the trunk and the other still intact tusk, handing it over to the Superintendence technicians for careful evaluation. Now it is up to the restorers to establish the causes of the detachment and plan the restoration of the work. To understand whether this is intentional damage, the recordings of the cameras in the area will also be examined.
Vandalism or usury? Investigations underway
On the investigative front, no hypothesis is excluded. Officers will analyze recordings from surveillance cameras in the area to reconstruct the moment of the damage. It cannot yet be established whether it was a voluntary act of vandalism, a natural collapse due to wear and tear of the marble or damage caused by bad weather.
It is not the first time that the sculpture has undergone interventions: the left tusk was damaged in 2016, then a quick work by the restorers had brought the little elephant back to its original splendor.
Minister Giuli: cultural heritage in danger
A few weeks after the inauguration of the major exhibition on Gian Lorenzo Bernini at the Gallery of Ancient Art in Palazzo Barberini, the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, did not hide his indignation:
It is unacceptable that once again the artistic and cultural heritage of the nation should suffer such serious damage.
The dicastery has ensured its technical contribution to the Capitoline Superintendence for the restoration of the sculpture, defined as one of the most significant symbols of the Capital, struck by an “absurd act of barbarism”. The episode reignites attention on the delicate balance between historical value, fragility of materials and protection of monuments, in a city where every stone tells of centuries of art and culture.
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