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A fast-moving cloudburst swept through Florence on September 17, dropping nearly two inches of rain in the span of an hour and sending water cascading into the Uffizi Gallery and the historic Palazzo Pitti, sparking concern regarding the masterpieces within.
At the Uffizi, rain seeped through a skylight of a gallery housing a clutch of paintings dating to the seventeenth century, including Caravaggio’s ca. 1598 Bacchus, depicting the titular god in a state of wine-induced torpor. Video showed water coursing down the front of the glass case protecting the fabled painting, which was unharmed, according to a gallery press release, as were the six other canvases nearby. The Uffizi temporarily removed the Caravaggio for safekeeping and closed the room, which reopened as usual on September 18.
At the Palazzo Pitti, water spread across the floors of the Palatine Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art, forcing the closure of some exhibition areas. Italian daily Corriere della Serra reported that the source of the leaks in the Renaissance palace had not yet been determined but speculated that open windows or aging window fixtures might have been to blame.
The Uffizi complex comprises the Uffizi Gallery, the Boboli Gardens, and the Palazzo Pitti and is one of Italy’s most visited museums. Earlier this summer, the institution announced plans for a $58 million renovation, portions of which are already underway. It is unclear whether the points of infiltration in the Uffizi Gallery or the Palazzo Pitti had already been scheduled to receive attention.