A 12-year-old boy hailing from Taiwan was visiting a museum when he fell, and broke his fall, along with "an extremely valuable" painting on Sunday.
The 350-year-old oil painting is the work of Paolo Porpora, and was being held for exhibition in a Taipei museum. The painting was created in the 17th century.
Sun Chi-Hsuan, head of exhibition co-organzer TST Art of Discovery Co., says that the painting is valued at over NT$50 million, which equates to $1.5 million in US currency.
The CCTV surveillance video shows the kid wandering as he follows a tour group. He stumbles on a platform, and because a rope railing was in the way, he naturally tries to regain his balance by pressing onto a nearby wall.
Unfortunately for him, the nearby wall was the same place were the Paolo Porpora painting hung. Thus, creating a hole the size of a fist through the painting called "Flowers," which stands 200cm or 78.7 inches tall.
Focus Taiwan claims that the exhibition's curator, Andrea Rossi, had told the boy's parents not to concern themselves with the painting's restoration costs.
Instead, the exhibition organizers will be commissioning the insurance company to cover the expenses and compensate for the owner of the painting. The said painting will be restored in Taiwan before it is sent back to Italy.
The painting was loaned, as part of Taipei's "The Face of Leonardo, Images of a Genius" exhibition located at Huashan 1914 Creative Park.
Approximately 50 paintings by various artists hailing from the Italian Renaissance period to the 20th century were on display at the exhibit as well.
The TST Art of Discovery state on the exhibit's official Facebook Page:
"All 55 paintings in the venue are authentic pieces and they are very rare and precious. Once these works are damaged, they are permanently damaged... We hope that everyone can protect these precious artworks with us."
Organizers were forced to temporarily close admissions on Monday due to the accident. "The face of Leonardo, Images of a Genius" was reopened later the afternoon.
