Tourist breaks sculpture while taking a selfie

An Austrian visitor to the Museo Antonio Canova in Possagno, Italy damaged a plaster model of a 19th-century sculpture while trying to take a selfie. The tourist sat on the piece, breaking off its toes, and either didn’t notice or quickly fled the scene. A guard noticed the broken toes and reported it immediately and a watch of the day’s security footage confirmed someone had broken it. Fortunately, because the toes were not taken or damaged further, the museum hopes that this will ease the restoration of the piece. In a twist, the visitor came forward three days later after reading about the incident in an Austrian newspaper. “I remain at complete disposal, it was irresponsible behavior on my part” he wrote in an email to the museum. “During the visit I sat on the statue, without realizing the damage I evidently caused”. Commenters on the museum’s update on Facebook seemed unconvinced by the tourist’s apology. “he [should] have sued himself immediately and not after the media clamor. His are just crocodile tears,” one person replied. “He noticed it right away, but only publicly apologized when he realized he hadn’t gotten away with it,” another commenter agreed