Some leaks at the Uffizi Gallery put Caravaggio's 'Bacchus' in danger
The Florentine museum removes the work as a precaution, but they rule out that there have been damages
BarcelonaA storm put the Bacchus painting by Caravaggio at risk this Thursday at the Uffizi Gallery, in Florence. The museum suffered water leaks under the skylight of room 90, where there are also seven paintings from the 18th century. The museum assures that the water only wet the glass, and subsequent checks have ruled out damage to the work. "The intense rains splashed the Bacchus display case, but we have not found any impact on any work in the room,” explained the management of the Italian museum.
In the video, broadcast by the Corriere della Sera, lines of water can be seen falling over the face of the Greek god. As a precautionary measure, the museum closed the room, which this Friday morning has already been reopened to the public with Caravaggio's work in place. The Uffizi Gallery receives 10,000 visitors a day, 5 million a year.
The canvas, which is estimated to date back to around 1598, was commissioned by Cardinal Francesco Maria del Monte as a gift for Ferdinand I de' Medici. The painting was found in the storage rooms of the Uffizi Gallery at the beginning of the 20th century and is one of the most significant works of the painter's early period.
The storm also affected the Pitti Palace, which suffered leaks in the Palatine Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art. According to the Corriere della Sera, some areas open to the public were temporarily closed, although no damage to the works was recorded.
The intensity of the water was especially high in parts of the city such as the Boboli Gardens, which accumulated 45 millimeters of rain in one hour, a figure similar to that recorded at the Botanical Gardens of Florence. In addition to the rain, strong gusts of wind reached up to 39 kilometers per hour. The Florence Civil Protection has declared a state of alert this Friday
