A visitor to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence damaged a priceless oil painting while attempting to take a selfie, the museum revealed on Saturday.
The unidentified tourist leaned against the Baroque portrait Portrait of Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany by Anton Domenico Gabbiani to capture a photograph — until the canvas gave way.
Italian broadcaster TG1 posted a video on X showing the painting’s canvas tearing under the man’s weight.
The painting is regarded as one of the highlights of the current exhibition. The man was identified by museum staff and reported to the police.
A photograph in the local newspaper Corriere Fiorentino shows a tear in the canvas.
The museum management said that the damage is minor and can be repaired. The painting was immediately removed for restoration.
Museum director Simone Verde expressed his outrage to the Italian news agency ANSA.
He said the issue of visitors coming to museums to take selfies or memes for social networks was getting out of hand.
“We will establish clear rules to prevent behaviour that is incompatible with the purpose of our institutions and respect for cultural heritage,” Verde asserted.
This is not the first time that art has fallen victim to selfies.
Recently, two visitors to the Palazzo Maffei in Verona destroyed a Van Gogh chair by artist Nicola Bolla, which was encrusted with Swarovski crystals.
The couple had apparently found the perfect photo opportunity — they sat on the glittering sculpture, which then broke, as seen in a surveillance video from the museum. —dpa
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