Two weeks ago, an American who visited the Vatican Museums in Rome was so angry he was not allowed to meet the pope that he actually took it out on the art.

The man, who was reportedly about sixty-five years old, had been visiting the Museo Chiarmonti on October 5.

This segment of the Vatican Museums is famous for housing almost one thousand Roman statues and prides itself on having “one of the finest collections of Romand portraits.”

Then, around lunchtime, the man entered the Galleria Chiaramonte corridor– which displays about one hundred statues and busts– and began demanding to see the pope.

Of course, this request was denied, but the man did not take it well.

Instead, he ripped one ancient Roman bust off its shelf and hurled it at the ground– breaking it into pieces. And as security guards attempted to apprehend the man, he ran away and knocked down a second bust.

Both busts were around two thousand years old. However, the works of art were thought to be “secondary” and representative of “minor figures” instead of famous works.

“The busts were affixed to shelves with a nail, but if you pull them down with force, they will come off,” explained Matteo Alessandrini, the Vatican Museums’ Director of the Press Office.

“He [the man] pulled down one and then the other, and the guards came immediately and stopped him and consigned him to the Vatican police– who brought him in for questioning. Then, around 5:30 p.m., he was handed over to the Italian authorities.”

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Alessandrini also revealed that while the busts were harmed, the damage was not “particularly bad.” One bust’s head was separated from its pedestal; meanwhile, the other lost an ear and a portion of its nose.

The busts have since been transported to the Vatican Museums’ marble restoration workshop, with plans to display them again soon following their repair.

One question still looms, though– what will this temper tantrum mean for historical art and monument viewing?

According to Mountain Butorac, a frequent visitor of the Museo Chiaramonti, this could sadly mean observing works at a distance.

“One of the beautiful things is that it [the Museo Chiaramonti] allows the visitors to get literally face to face with these ancient sculptures. My fear is that with behavior like this, barriers could be put in place,” Butorac said.

And this man’s behavior is only the latest in a string of summer destruction caused by tourists in Rome.

Back in July, one Canadian tourist carved their name into the Colosseum and was caught in the act.

Other incidences over the past few months included American tourists throwing scooters down the Spanish steps and a Saudi tourist driving his Maserati down them.

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