Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

American tourist smashes two sculptures in the Vatican

lite.cnn.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

11–20 of 34 posts

Re: American tourist smashes two sculptures in the Vatican

#13

Post by kgermino »

ravenstine wrote: post #6

Although this is terrible, for those of you who aren't actually going to read the article: > "The 2 busts have been damaged but not particularly badly. One lost part of a nose and an ear, the head of the other came off the pedestal." So fortunately the busts were not obliterated into a bunch of pieces like the image I had in my head when I read the word "smashed".

I think “knocked down” or similar verbiage would communicate a more accurate image.

It might underplay the damage though, depending on your context

Re: American tourist smashes two sculptures in the Vatican

#14

Post by tmpz22 »

not-my-account wrote: post #8

What are repercussions for this act? I.e. what will the tourist be charged with? Simple vandalism seems way too lenient.

Without knowing what the physical space looks like I'd rather we just not arrange valuable artwork like sculptures where tourists can easily damage or even touch them. People are dumb, tourists are a even dumber subset of people, you're asking for it if you don't properly secure the artwork.

Throwing these people in prison won't make tourists smarter it'll just put them in prison at the public's expense.

And before someone comes back about how this devalues appreciation of art of whatever, I obviously mean secure the artwork to a reasonable degree. Especially in places known for MASSIVE crowds like the Vatican. God isn't exactly jumping out of his seat to protect them.

Re: American tourist smashes two sculptures in the Vatican

#16

Post by justin66 »

Arrath wrote: post #4
jleyank wrote: post #3

“Demanded to see the Pope”. Well, that’s a strong sense of self importance. Being able to talk to CEO’s of very large organizations (or heads of state) at the drop of a hat.

Followed with a childish tantrum by throwing one sculpture to the floor. Real nice. Its actions like this that result in the rest of us only being able to view artifacts like these from afar, behind plexiglass. What a shame.

> Its actions like this that result in the rest of us only being able to view artifacts like these from afar, behind plexiglass.

That will not happen.

Re: American tourist smashes two sculptures in the Vatican

#17

Post by pfortuny »

ravenstine wrote: post #6

Although this is terrible, for those of you who aren't actually going to read the article: > "The 2 busts have been damaged but not particularly badly. One lost part of a nose and an ear, the head of the other came off the pedestal." So fortunately the busts were not obliterated into a bunch of pieces like the image I had in my head when I read the word "smashed".

Well, those busts tend to be of marble and they are not easily broken.

I was afraid they might be little terra-cotta sculptures, and that can really shatter.

Re: American tourist smashes two sculptures in the Vatican

#19

Post by pfortuny »

tmpz22 wrote: post #14
not-my-account wrote: post #8

What are repercussions for this act? I.e. what will the tourist be charged with? Simple vandalism seems way too lenient.

Without knowing what the physical space looks like I'd rather we just not arrange valuable artwork like sculptures where tourists can easily damage or even touch them. People are dumb, tourists are a even dumber subset of people, you're asking for it if you don't properly secure the artwork. Throwing these people in prison won't make tourists smarter it'll just put them in prison at the public's expense. And before s…

It looks like they were lesser works, not worth the trouble (in the way you mean).

It was not a bust of Cesar or something like that.

Post reply on HN