1.
CU POLICE CAR PAN TO GALLERY
0.06

2.
CU A MADONNA (BY HANS MEMLING)
0.07

3.
SV PICTURE
0.11

4.
CU SCRATCH ON RIGHT HANDSIDE, PAN UP TO MADONNA
0.15

5.
CU TRIPTYCH
0.18

6.
CU EYE DAMAGED ON ONE PICTURE (2 SHOTS)
0.25

7.
SV PORTRAIT WITH SCRATCH ACROSS RIGHT EYE
0.30

8.
SV RELIGIOUS PICTURE
0.34

9.
CU DAMAGED EYE
0.48

10.
SV RELIGIOUS PICTURE PAN UP TO SHOW SCRATCH
0.44

11.
SV PICTURE OF CHRIST
0.46

12.
CU SCRATCH BY LEG
0.51

13.
CU EXPERT EXAMINES SCRATCH
0.55

14.
SV MOTHER AND CHILD, CU..SCRATCH ON MOTHER'S FACE
1.02

15.
CU PORTRAIT
1.04

16.
CU HOLE IN EYE OF PORTRAIT
1.08

17.
SCU EXPERT EXAMINES IMPLEMENTS USED IN DAMAGING PICTURES
1.12

18.
CU RING, NAIL CLIPPERS AND STUD
1.19

19.
CU POINT OF SCREWDRIVER EXAMINED UNDER MICROSCOPE (2 SHOTS)
1.27



Initials AK/V/WH/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: YET ANOTHER PAINTING WAS FOUND YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) TO BE DAMAGED BY A VANDAL OR MANIAC IN THE UFFIZI GALLERY, FLORENCE. THIS LATEST DISCOVERY BRINGS THE TOTAL NUMBER TO 24. THE FAMOUS GALLERY HOUSES ONE OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST COLLECTIONS OF RENAISSANCE ART.

THE DAMAGE WAS SAID TO BE SERIOUS, THOUGH NOT IRREPARABLE, TO 14TH CENTURY TO 18TH CENTURY MASTERWORKS WHICH INCLUDE PAINTINGS BY THE FLEMISH ARTIST MEMLING, THE ITALIANS LORENZETTI; BERNARDO DADDI, LOTTO AND IL PONTORMO AND OTHERS. MASTERPIECES BY MICHELANGELO, BOTTICELLI, DA VINCI, TITIAN AND RAPHAEL WERE NOT MUTILATED.

IMMEDIATELY THE DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED, GALLERY OFFICIALS SEALED OFF ALL EXITS. POLICE LATER INTERVIEWED VISITORS -- MAINLY BRITONS, AMERICANS, GERMANS AND FRENCHMEN.

SCIENTIFIC TESTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON A CHISEL MARKED WITH PAINT AND PLASTER TO SEE WHETHER IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE SHARP INSTRUMENT WHICH GOUGED THE EYES OF PAINTINGS SO SAINTS AND OTHER FIGURES. OTHER PAINTINGS WERE SLASHED OR SCRATCHED.

PROFESSOR PROCACCI, DIRECTOR OF THE UFFIZI, SAID IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLACE A FIGURE ON THE VALUE OF THE DAMAGED PAINTINGS. EACH COULD BE REPAIRED -- BUT THOROUGH STUDIES WILL BE NEEDED TO RESTORE LIGHT TO THE EYES.

IN ROME LAST NIGHT, IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAD AUTHORISED MODERN ALARM AND PROTECTION EQUIPMENT HAD AUTHORISED MODERN ALARM AND PROTECTION EQUIPMENT FOR THE UFFIZI GALLERY. THIS FOLLOWS WIDESPREAD CRITICISM THAT THE SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS AT THE UFFIZI WERE INEFFICIENT.