Thunderstorm water intrusion splashes Caravaggio case at Florence's Uffizi Gallery
A heavy thunderstorm caused rain to leak through the Uffizi Gallery's skylight, wetting the protective case around Caravaggio's 'Bacchus'.
During a violent storm in Florence, more than 45 millimetres of rain fell within an hour, breaching the skylight of the Uffizi Gallery room that displays seven 17th-century works. Water dripped onto the outer glass of the sealed case protecting Caravaggio's painting 'Bacchus'. Museum officials inspected the area and reported no damage to any of the artworks. The gallery plans to reopen the affected room the following morning.
Why it matters
It shows how extreme weather can threaten priceless cultural heritage in major museums.
In this story
rainthunderstormleakCaravaggioBacchusskylightprotective caseartworksFlorence museum
