~ART~

[Lady Cop]

circa 1265

Art restorers have sparked fury by touching up a 746 year old fresco called The Tree of Fertility and removing some of its most prized assets.

The painting by an unknown artist was discovered in an Italian cave and illustrates a tree from the branches of which are hanging dozens of very realistically drawn penises.

Underneath the tree, waiting for the them to fall, a small crowd of women are gathered, with two appearing to be ready to fight over one of the twenty five 'fruits'.

The work is said to be a symbol of fertility and controversy erupted after restorers appeared to 'castrate' the tree by removing or painting over several of the phalluses.

Many critics have complained that the fresco's spirit and intention has been destroyed.

The intriguing work of art was discovered in 1999 in the Tuscan town of Massa Marittima in walls which adorn a local spring known as the Fountain of Abundance, carved out of solid rock.