The boy was visiting “The Face of Leonardo, Images of a Genius” exhibition at Huashan 1914 Creative Park in Tapei, Taiwan.
The video, released by the organisers, shows the youth sauntering past the painting while holding a drink. As he approaches the work, he stumbles and stretches out his hand to break his fall, with his left fist going through the canvass.
He looks up, freezes, then turns around looking at the other people in the room.
Organisers of the exhibition say the boy will not be blamed and the family not asked to pay for the restoration.
The painting is to be repaired by a Taiwanese art restorer before being shipped back to Italy.
Boy punches hole in 17th century Italian masterpiece - VIDEO
25 August 2015
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This is the moment a 12-year-old boy trips and puts a fist through a 350-year-old painting valued at more than US$ 1.5 million (1.3 million euros).
