Milan Restorers Repair Worn Bull Mosaic Testicles in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

In Milan, restorers are repairing a floor mosaic of an anatomically detailed bull in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II after tourists’ “constant pirouettes on the heel” wore down the pink tesserae that make up its testicles.

“Israel is breaking all contact with United Nations chief Antonio Guterres, the country's ambassador announced Thursday, saying it was "outrageous" Israel is being blacklisted over alleged sexual violence in conflict zones”

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City authorities said the wear has “formed a small crater,” and the beige bull mosaic represents Turin, the then-capital of Italy, near the Duomo cathedral.

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Restorer Gianluca Galli worked on the mosaic on Thursday, cutting pieces of stone by hand after looking at designs from the period and taking an impression of the original bits.

Galli said the tradition is “probably a charming gesture, but also quite damaging for a work of art,” and he planned to use epoxy resins instead of the original lime and sand mortar to glue the pieces down to better withstand tourists’ heels.

During the restoration, tourists were unable to pirouette on the bull, so they performed a similar act on a neighbouring she-wolf mosaic representing Rome.

Emmanuel Conte and Marco Granelli, from Milan city council, said the arcade’s “lucky spot” had become worn out over time.

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They added that “The gallery is a living heritage site, which can wear out precisely because it is loved and frequented,” framing the damage as a byproduct of heavy visitation.

The bull was last restored in 2017, and Galli said he was proud of his work while also urging “young people to take up this profession” because “Italy is very much in need of male and female restorers.”

In a separate development, Israel is breaking all contact with UN chief Antonio Guterres after an ambassador announced Thursday that it was “outrageous” Israel is being blacklisted over alleged sexual violence in conflict zones.

“A floor mosaic of an anatomically detailed bull in one of Milan’s grand arcades is getting a sensitive makeover after being worn down by thousands of passersby honouring an unusual tradition”

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Danny Danon said in a video posted on X, “We are done with this secretary-general,” and he argued that the decision to blacklist Israel and accuse it of using sexual violence as a weapon of war was “an outrageous decision.”

Israel’s foreign ministry called the country’s inclusion on the UN sexual violence list “shameful and absurd,” while the Israeli mission to the UN said it will have no contact with the secretary-general’s office as long as Guterres remains in the role.

A spokesman for Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, said the office was aware of Danon’s remarks and that “For our part, the secretary-general's door remains open,” as the UN chief’s term ends on December 31.