The bulls are back in the news. And this time, it's not about the City. A mosaic bull in Milan, discovered during excavations for a new metro line, has become the unlikely focus of a transatlantic art war. Italian restorers, tasked with cleaning the 2,000-year-old masterpiece, have found themselves on the defensive. Their British counterparts are calling the work 'amateurish'. The Italians are bemused.
The mosaic, a stunning depiction of a bull from the Roman era, was unearthed last month. It was hailed as a triumph. But then the restorers got to work. British conservators, flown in to observe, have leaked their concerns. 'The cleaning is too aggressive,' one source told me. 'They are using modern tools on ancient stone. It is reckless.'
The Italians hit back. Their lead restorer, Marco Bellini, dismissed the criticism as 'jealousy'. 'We have been restoring mosaics for centuries,' he said. 'The British should focus on their own heritage.' A pointed remark, given the ongoing row over the Elgin Marbles.
But the damage is done. The story has leaked into the Italian press. The bull is now a symbol of tension. Rome and London have traded barbs. The British Museum, which has made no official comment, is rumoured to be 'monitoring the situation'.
This is more than a spat over technique. It is about power. Who gets to define what is 'proper' restoration? The British see themselves as the guardians of classical heritage. The Italians see them as cultural imperialists. The mosaic bull is caught in the middle.
The politics of art are brutal. And this story is not going away. Expect more leaks. More barbs. And possibly, a formal complaint from the Italian government. The bull might need a restorer for its reputation soon.
