EXCLUSIVE: The American SURGEON who accidentally snapped finger off 600-year-old statue in Florence museum (you'd have thought he'd be better with his hands!)

  • Surgeon Patrick Broderick, 56, was measuring the finger when he broke it off the statue
  • Sculpture was created in the 14th or 15th century by Florentine Giovanni d'Ambrogio
  • Broderick was arrested in front of his wife and college-aged children
  • Luckily the museum hasn't filed any charges and he won't be asked to pay for the repair 

By Michael Zennie and Hannah Roberts In Rome

Published: 14:54 EST, 6 August 2013 | Updated: 03:57 EST, 7 August 2013

An American

Oops! American emergency surgeon Patrick Broderick, from New Fairfield, Connecticut, was arrested for breaking off the finger

The American tourist who sparked outrage in Florence after he snapped a finger off a priceless 600-year-old statue of the Virgin Mary in a museum was today revealed to be an emergency surgeon from Connecticut.

Patrick Broderick, 55, from New Fairfield, Connecticut, was attempting to compare his finger to that on a marble sculpture at the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo (Museum of the Works of the Cathedral) when he amputated the digit.

What makes the accident even more embarrassing is that married Broderick is an emergency surgeon at Danbury Hospital, Connecticut - surely someone who is better than most with being careful with his hands.

And in a further excruciating twist, Broderick was arrested and taken into custody in front of his wife and his two college-aged children.

It is believed Broderick was comparing his own hand to that of the statue when the mishap occurred. 

A security guard spotted him doing it and tried to stop him, but it was too late.

Broderick was mortified and apologized profusely, fearing prosecution and a massive fine for damaging the historic piece of work.

The sculpture was created in the 14th or 15th century by Florentine Giovanni d'Ambrogio.

Timothy Verdon, an American who is the head of the Diocesan Office of Sacred Art and Church Cultural Heritage and the Cathedral Foundation Museum in Florence, condemned his countryman's behavior. 

Oops: An American tourist broke the pinky finger off a 600-year-old marble statue at a Florentine museum over the weekend. A museum administrator said the repair of the statue will be exceedingly complex

Uh-oh: Broderick broke the pinky finger off a 600-year-old marble statue at a Florentine museum over the weekend. A museum administrator said the repair of the statue will be exceedingly complex

The sculpture, seen here before the accident, was created in the 14th or 15th century by Florentine Giovanni d'Ambrogio.

The sculpture, seen here before the accident, was created in the 14th or 15th century by Florentine Giovanni d'Ambrogio

National Lampoons: Broderick was on holiday with hiw wife, Linda, and his two children

National Lampoons: Broderick was on holiday with his wife, Linda, and his two children

Patrick

Call the doctor: A mortified Broderick was arrested in front of his wife and children

‘The group were in the Cathedral, looking at the statue of the Vergine e all'Angelo Annunciatore, which is marble and by an artist called Giovanni d'Ambrogio.

‘The man told me it was a spontaneous impulse.

‘He put in hand out in an unthinking gesture to measure the size of the hands of the virgin against those of his own. 

‘A guard immediately saw and told him not to touch, but the little finger had come off exposing a metal rod inside. 

‘He seemed to have forgotten the basic rule of museums that you don’t touch things. 

‘Afterwards he was absolutely embarrassed and very sorry. 

‘It was a strange sort of forgetfulness as this man to all appearances seemed like a regular museum goer, not a busman on holiday.

‘It’s not a tragedy as all the fingers have been restored before and are not marble but plaster held with metal rods. And thankfully we have a technical person in the museum who has fixed a finger before.’

The statue is housed at the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, next to the legendary Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore

The statue is housed at the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, next to the legendary Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore

Many of the most precious works in Florence are actually kept away from the public under lock and key - with casts set out in museums. 

The originals that are available for public viewing are kept under close guard.

A spokesman for the municipal police in Florence said: ‘A 55-year-old man from New Fairfield in Connecticut in the U.S. was arrested at the Museo della Opera in Florence after a statue was damaged. 

‘He admitted the offence. He was taken to the station for questioning then released.

‘No charges have been filed by the museum and he has not been asked to pay for the repair.’

Broderick's secretary at his practice today told MailOnline that he was still in Italy and was due back to work on Monday.