Italy delays Botticelli loan to Israeli museum

"The culture ministry, in agreement with the government, decided that the timing was not appropriate," the ministry said in a statement, without elaborating.
It said that another painting "of equivalent cultural and artistic content" would be sent instead.
Painted in 1481, the work was intended for the hospital of San Martino alla Scala in Florence.
After suffering heavy damage, it was transferred to a Florentine workshop in 1920 for restoration.
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