A visitor accidentally damaged a 17th-century oil painting at the renowned Uffizi Galleries in Florence after leaning back into the artwork while posing for a photo, museum officials confirmed in a statement.
The incident occurred on Saturday and involved a portrait of Ferdinando de’ Medici, a Tuscan prince, painted by Anton Domenico Gabbiani around 1695–1700. Surveillance footage widely shared on social media shows the man standing in front of the painting, leaning backward, and then suddenly reacting when he realizes he made contact with the artwork.
Images later published by Italian media revealed a small tear near the ankle of the nobleman depicted in the portrait.
The museum stated that the individual responsible has been reported to local authorities. The painting has been temporarily removed from display to undergo restoration, although officials emphasized the damage was minor and the piece would return to exhibition soon.
Simone Verde, director of the Uffizi Galleries, responded to the incident with a strong message condemning the growing trend of museum visitors prioritizing selfies and social media content over respect for cultural artifacts. “We will implement strict guidelines to prevent behavior that disrespects the spirit of our institutions and our cultural heritage,” Verde stated.
Such incidents are becoming increasingly common as visitors seek viral moments at the expense of preservation. Just days earlier, a tourist at a museum in Verona caused significant damage to a crystal-encrusted chair inspired by a Vincent van Gogh painting by sitting on it for a photo.
In another recent case, a child caused damage to a multimillion-dollar Mark Rothko painting during a visit to a museum in the Netherlands this past April.
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