AN ITALIAN SCANDAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 73, 16 September 1911, Page 10

AN ITALIAN SCANDAL.

A curious scandal Ims arisen in the small Italian town of Pentremoli. near Genoa. The parish church of (he town contains many art treasures, including a wonderful lias-relief executed in marble by Donatelo and placed oil a wall in the chancel. A wealthy American collector saw this bas-relief a few mini ths ago and decided that it would lie a fitting ornament for his home in New York. An open purchase was out of the question, but he approached the parish priest and succeeded in convincing that simple soul that an imitation of the sculpture would serve all the needs of (he church, while the change would be justified by the large sum of money that the American would make available for charitable purposes. The work of the famous Donatelo was copied by an obscure artisl, and at dead of night the real sculpture was removed and the fraud substituted. The collector sent his prize l>v rail to Genoa. The transaction might have passed unnoiicetl, at any rate for a long period, had not the congregation of the church included a lover of art in the person of an old man. A cry was heard (luring Mass on the day following the departure of thi' American, and Hie old .man was found on his knees before the false hasrelief. He \vn* not believed at first when he said thai; Ihe { reasure had gone, but lie insisted, and at last an expert investigation was made. Then there was n hue and cry after the supposed thief, and the priest went to the authorities and related what had occurred. The sculpture was traced to Genoa ami seized by the police, who returned it to its rightful place in the church. The priest is likely to be removed from bis cure, and it is much to be hoped that the real offender, the American, will be punished at least by the loss of his money. Italy has suffered again and again from similar acts of cupidity and vandalism.