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Taiwan

Boy tears hole in valued painting

A 12-year-old boy accidentally lost his footing and tore a hole in a famous painting valued at $1.5 million while visiting a gallery in Taiwan. The damaged work is a centuries-old Italian oil painting, titled Flowers by Italian artist Paolo Porpora, and dates back to the 1600s. It is part of a collection of 55 artworks on exhibit. The organizer of the art show was "shocked" over the incident, but decided not to blame the boy or seek compensation from his family. Instead, an insurance company was asked to cover the costs to restore the painting and further compensate its owner.