A visitor to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence has caused damage to an 18th-century painting while attempting to take a selfie. The incident occurred on Saturday in the ground-floor rooms hosting the “Florence and Europe: Arts of the 18th Century” exhibition. The man tried to mimic the pose of Ferdinando de’ Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, in a portrait painted in 1712 by Anton Domenico Gabbiani.
He lost his balance and fell against the painting, causing a tear at the level of the prince’s right boot. Museum staff quickly identified the visitor and reported him to the police for causing damage. Experts said the damage was relatively minor, and the painting has been removed for repair.
Simone Verde, the director of the Uffizi, stated, “The problem of visitors coming to museums to make memes or for social media is rampant. We will set very precise limits, preventing behavior that is not compatible with the sense of our institutions and respect for cultural heritage. The tourist will be prosecuted.”
A trade union representing museum workers had previously warned about the risk of accidents due to low platforms intended to keep visitors at a safe distance.
Selfies pose threats to artworks
“Visitors are looking at the paintings, not at the ground. Those platforms are unsuitable and too dark,” said Silvia Barlacchi, a staff representative.
This incident is part of a troubling trend of museum visitors behaving irresponsibly. In a similar case, a man in the Palazzo Maffei museum in Verona damaged a fragile chair covered in Swarovski crystals by sitting on it while posing for a photo, causing its partial collapse. The couple involved fled the scene and remain unidentified.
Earlier this year, a museum visitor in Brescia damaged a 16th-century painting by the Renaissance artist Moretto after tripping and falling against it. Three years ago, an American tourist fell against a painting by Baroque master Guido Reni at the Galleria Borghese in Rome. The Louvre in Paris has also faced challenges with crowds of smartphone-wielding visitors impairing the viewing experience of the Mona Lisa.
The museum plans to create a 3,000 square meter exhibition space entirely dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece to alleviate such issues. The renovation is set to be completed in 2031.
