Clet’s Common Man statue returns to Ponte alle Grazie on Easter Sunday

Florence marked Easter Sunday with the return of one of its most recognisable pieces of street art. The Common Man by French artist Clet Abraham has been reinstalled on Ponte alle Grazie today, Sunday 5 April 2026, after being vandalised and thrown into the Arno River in February.

The reinstallation took place in the afternoon, at around 5:30 p.m., in the same spot indicated by the artist — on the bridge connecting the historic centre to the Oltrarno district. Clet had announced the event on social media as a “grand Easter gala”, framing the return of the sculpture as a symbolic “resurrection”.

A work tied to the city

The sculpture, made of fibreglass and polystyrene, depicts a stylised human figure stepping into the void. According to the artist, it represents individual freedom and the tension between personal choice and social conventions.

Installed on Ponte alle Grazie in recent years, the work has become a familiar presence for both residents and visitors, part of Clet’s broader artistic practice in Florence. The artist, originally from Brittany, has lived and worked in the city for many years and is known for interventions that reinterpret public space, often through modified road signs and small-scale installations.

The vandalism in February

On the night of 20 February, the sculpture was removed and thrown into the Arno. It was later recovered by a local rowing club, but was found damaged and missing its head.

At the time, Clet described the act as vandalism targeting freedom of expression, presenting the “Common Man” as a reflection of contemporary society and the condition of the individual within it.

Restoration and return. Concerns over permits

Following the recovery, the sculpture was restored and prepared for reinstallation. The choice of Easter Sunday for its return was presented by the artist as a deliberate gesture, linking the work’s comeback to the idea of renewal.

The reinstallation has also revived questions about the artwork’s legal status. According to a city councillor, the issue had already been raised in March, after the sculpture was vandalised and thrown into the Arno. At that time, the city’s councillor for culture reportedly clarified that the installation did not have formal authorisation from the municipal landscape commission or the national heritage authority (Soprintendenza), and that no administrative permits had been issued.

The councillor has now questioned whether placing the work back on the bridge amounts to repeating an unauthorised installation. The city administration has not provided further public clarification on this point following the statue’s return.

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