Historic statuary is very vunerable in the open air. Damage is often caused by ill-considered handling, outright vandalism, natural weathering, accelerated by pollution, and in the case of the Venus and Cupid, Canadian geese. The restoration of stone statuary presents enormous problems. To match the stone for colour is difficult, while the sculptor has to recreate the style and movement of the original. Often the best option in the case of serious erosion or vandalism is to replace the original with a carved or cast copy.
