Ferdinando de’ Medici: Selfie-taking tourist damages Baroque artwork in Italy
A priceless oil painting at an Italian art gallery has been damaged after a tourist taking a selfie tore a hole through the centuries-old canvas.
A visitor to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence has damaged a priceless oil painting while trying to take a selfie, the museum says.
The unidentified tourist leaned against the Baroque artwork, Portrait of Ferdinando de’ Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, by Anton Domenico Gabbiani, to take a photo - until the canvas gave way.
Italian broadcaster TG1 posted a video on X, which shows the painting’s canvas tearing under the man’s weight.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.The painting is considered one of the highlights of the current exhibition.
The man was identified by museum staff and reported to police.
A photo in the local newspaper Corriere Fiorentino shows a tear in the canvas.
The museum management said the damage was minor, however, and could 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 problem 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 said.
This is not the first time that art has fallen victim to selfies.
Two visitors to the Palazzo Maffei in Verona recently destroyed a Van Gogh chair by artist Nicola Bolla, which was encrusted with Swarovski crystals.
The couple had discovered the perfect photo opportunity - they sat down on the glittering sculpture, which then broke, as seen on a surveillance video from the museum.
