Likeness of restored angel to Giorgia Meloni triggers investigations in Rome

"The resemblance was first flagged by the newspaper La Repubblica, who noted that one of the two angels flanking a marble bust of Italy's last king in the Basilica of St Lawrence in Lucina now had a familiar, astonishingly contemporary face. It added: Before the restoration, there was a generic cherub. Today, it is the face of the most powerful woman in the country."

"The country's ministry of culture said that technicians had been immediately dispatched to carry out an inspection of the winged figure. They had been told to establish the nature of the work carried out, it said in a statement, and would decide what action to take. The Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, laughed off the controversy on social media. Photograph: Angelo Carconi/EPA As before-and-after photos made the rounds on social media, Meloni also weighed in, seemingly poking fun at the curious controversy. On Instagram, she posted a picture of the restored angel, adding: No, I definitely do not look like an angel, alongside a laughing emoji."

"There is indeed a certain resemblance, but you would have to ask the restorer why it was done that way, the parish priest of the basilica, Daniele Micheletti, told the news agency Ansa. I asked for the chapel to be restored exactly as it was, I don't know. He said the restoration had been needed after the chapel containing the painting sustained water damage. The original painting dated back to the year 2000, meaning it was not under any sort of heritage protection, he added. He also defended the sacristan who had carried out the restoration. He's not a house painter;"

An angel statue in the Basilica of St Lawrence in Lucina was restored with a face resembling Italy's prime minister, prompting investigations by the culture ministry and the diocese of Rome. Technicians were dispatched to inspect the winged figure to establish the nature of the work and determine next steps. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni dismissed the controversy on Instagram, posting the restored image and saying she did not look like an angel. The parish priest said the chapel needed restoration after water damage and that the original painting dated to 2000 and lacked heritage protection. He defended the sacristan who carried out the work.

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