Latest news with #artdamage
South China Morning Post
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Uffizi Gallery painting damaged by selfie-taking tourist
A visitor at the Uffizi Gallery in the Italian city of Florence accidentally damaged a valuable oil painting while trying to take a selfie. The unidentified tourist leaned against Anton Domenico Gabbiani's Baroque portrait of Ferdinando de' Medici, who was the grand prince of Tuscany, 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. The painting is considered one of the highlights of the current exhibition. The man was identified by museum staff and reported to the police. The museum management said that the damage was minor, however, and could be repaired. The painting was immediately removed for restoration.
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
300-year-old painting in the Uffizi damaged after visitor trips while trying to ‘make a meme'
A 300-year-old painting in Florence's Uffizi Gallery has allegedly been damaged after a visitor tripped while posing for a photo with the artwork. The Uffizi said the painting, a portrait of Tuscan prince Ferdinando de' Medici painted by Anton Domenico Gabbiani in 1712, was damaged after a visitor fell backwards while attempting to 'make a meme' in front of it. Security camera footage circulated by Italian media over the weekend showed a visitor leaning back and falling into the painting, with a closeup revealing a tear in the canvas. The Uffizi told the BBC that the individual had been identified by the police and reported to judicial authorities. Sign up for our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning The painting has been removed for repair, and the exhibition it was part of – featuring about 150 18th century masterpieces by artists including Goya, Tiepolo and Canaletto – has been closed until 2 July, after which it is expected to reopen with the painting back on display. The museum's director, Simone Verde, said in a statement: 'The problem of visitors coming to museums to make memes or take selfies for social media is rampant.' He said the Uffizi was considering imposing restrictions on visitor behaviour: 'We will set very precise limits, preventing behaviour that is not compatible with the sense of our institutions and respect for cultural heritage.' In a similar incident earlier this month, tourists damaged an artwork at the Palazzo Maffei in Verona while attempting to pose for a photo with it. The artwork – a crystal-encrusted chair by artist Nicola Bolla – 'shattered before their eyes', the museum said in a statement. 'It would be ridiculous – if it hadn't actually happened. A museum's worst nightmare,' the museum's director, Vanessa Carlon, said at the time. 'Sometimes we lose our brains to take a picture, and we don't think about the consequences.'
CNN
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Visitor damages Uffizi painting while posing for photo
A visitor has damaged a 17th-century painting at the Uffizi Galleries in Florence after stumbling back into it while posing for a photo, the museum told CNN in a statement. The visitor was visiting the world-famous museum on Saturday when he accidentally damaged a portrait of Tuscan prince Ferdinando de' Medici, which was painted some time around 1695-1700 by Anton Domenico Gabbiani, the museum said on Monday. In widely circulated security camera footage of the incident, a man can be seen posing in front of the oil painting before leaning back and then quickly jumping up as he realises he touched it. Pictures later published by local media showed a small tear in the painting around the area of the nobleman's ankle. The visitor, who hasn't been publicly identified, was reported to the authorities. Meanwhile, the painting was removed from the exhibition for repair works, although the museum said the damage was 'light' and it will be displayed again soon. The incident prompted Simone Verde, director of the Uffizi Galleries, to issue a statement condemning 'the problem of visitors who come to museums to make memes or take selfies for social media.' 'We will set very precise limits, preventing behaviors that are not compatible with the sense of our institutions and respect for cultural heritage,' he added in a statement sent to CNN. Museum-goers accidentally damaging exhibits in the pursuit of the perfect photo appears to be an increasing problem for the institutions. Just last week, a crystal-covered chair inspired by one of Vincent Van Gogh's most famous paintings was seriously damaged when a tourist sat on it while posing for a photograph at a museum in Verona. In April, a child damaged a huge painting by Mark Rothko, thought to be worth tens of millions of dollars, while visiting a Dutch museum.
CNN
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Visitor damages Uffizi painting while posing for photo
A visitor has damaged a 17th-century painting at the Uffizi Galleries in Florence after stumbling back into it while posing for a photo, the museum told CNN in a statement. The visitor was visiting the world-famous museum on Saturday when he accidentally damaged a portrait of Tuscan prince Ferdinando de' Medici, which was painted some time around 1695-1700 by Anton Domenico Gabbiani, the museum said on Monday. In widely circulated security camera footage of the incident, a man can be seen posing in front of the oil painting before leaning back and then quickly jumping up as he realises he touched it. Pictures later published by local media showed a small tear in the painting around the area of the nobleman's ankle. The visitor, who hasn't been publicly identified, was reported to the authorities. Meanwhile, the painting was removed from the exhibition for repair works, although the museum said the damage was 'light' and it will be displayed again soon. The incident prompted Simone Verde, director of the Uffizi Galleries, to issue a statement condemning 'the problem of visitors who come to museums to make memes or take selfies for social media.' 'We will set very precise limits, preventing behaviors that are not compatible with the sense of our institutions and respect for cultural heritage,' he added in a statement sent to CNN. Museum-goers accidentally damaging exhibits in the pursuit of the perfect photo appears to be an increasing problem for the institutions. Just last week, a crystal-covered chair inspired by one of Vincent Van Gogh's most famous paintings was seriously damaged when a tourist sat on it while posing for a photograph at a museum in Verona. In April, a child damaged a huge painting by Mark Rothko, thought to be worth tens of millions of dollars, while visiting a Dutch museum.
Daily Mail
23-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Fury in Italy as tourist tears a hole in 18th century painting while posing for a selfie at Florence's Uffizi Gallery
A careless tourist sparked fury in Italy after he damaged a priceless 18th century painting while trying to take a selfie. The unnamed culprit had been enjoying a visit to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence when his day out took a turn for the worse. The man decided to try and capture a picture of himself mimicking the pose of Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, in a portrait by Anton Domenico Gabbiani. But, the visitor's bright idea soon became an embarrassing blunder when he lost his balance. The man stumbled backward, falling against the portrait and leaving a hole at the level of the prince's right boot. Museum staff were quick to identify the man and reported him to the police for causing the damage. The painting was removed for repair, with experts concluding that the damage was relatively minor. The incident occurred on Saturday in the ground-floor rooms hosting the Florence and Europe: Arts of the 18th Century at the Uffizi exhibition, the first under the gallery's new director, Simone Verde. A trade union representing museum workers said the tourist had tripped on a low platform intended to keep visitors at an appropriate distance from the paintings. The unnamed culprit had been visiting the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, at the weekend when his day out took a turn for the worse. The man decided to try and capture a picture of himself mimicking the pose of Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, in an 18th-century portrait by Anton Domenico Gabbiani But, the visitor's bright idea soon became an embarrassing blunder when he lost his balance while trying to strike the same pose as de' Medici It had previously raised concerns to the museum authorities after another visitor had tripped but without causing any damage. 'Visitors are looking at the paintings, not at the ground. Those platforms are unsuitable and too dark,' said Silvia Barlacchi, a staff representative. Verde said: 'The problem of visitors coming to museums to make memes or take selfies for social media is rampant: we will set very precise limits, preventing behaviour that is not compatible with the sense of our institutions and respect for cultural heritage. The tourist, who was immediately identified, will be prosecuted.' The incident isn't the only embarrassing accident to be caused by visitors behaving irresponsibly in Italian museums recently. Earlier this month, a tourist was caught on CCTV sitting on a crystal-studded 'Van Gogh' chair exhibit in an Italian art gallery - before it buckled under him. The chair, which is named after the famous Dutch painter, is housed in the Maffei Palace, Verona, and is covered with hundreds of Swarovski crystals. It was designed by Italian artist Nicola Bolla and is described by local media as being 'extremely fragile and delicate'. The incident occurred on Saturday in the ground-floor rooms hosting the Florence and Europe: Arts of the 18th Century at the Uffizi exhibition, the first under the gallery's new director, Simone Verde. Pictured: People waiting at the courtyard to visit Uffizi Galleries in Florence, Italy However, it appears that while admiring the art, a tourist spotted their opportunity for a photo with no security around - without regard for the chair's condition. In the shocking footage, a man and woman can be seen posing with the eye-catching chair in the otherwise empty room. As the man takes the woman's photo, she leans in front of the the chair in order to create the illusion in the photograph that she is sitting on it. But the man took this one step further and can be seen hovering above the exhibit, before placing himself down on it. The chair immediately bends back into the wall and is left in a crooked state as the pair scurry out of the room. In the aftermath of the incident, the museum's social media accounts released a statement describing the 'nightmare' situation. They said: 'Every museum's nightmare has become reality, even in Palazzo Maffei. 'Waiting for the surveillance officers to come out, some visitors took an "in effect" photo. 'The result? An irresponsible gesture caused serious damage to Nicola Bolla's "Van Gogh" chair, a very delicate work, covered entirely with hundreds of Swarovski crystals.' It was designed by Italian artist Nicola Bolla and is described by local media as being 'extremely fragile and delicate'. Pictured: The crystal-studded art is is left in a crooked state as the pair scurry out of the room The museum was in crisis for days as it was unsure whether they could repair it, given the severity of the damage. But thanks to 'restorers who did a fantastic job' and Italian law enforcement who assisted in their efforts, the museum has said 'the piece is shining once again'. They added: 'We are sharing this episode not only for the sake of reporting, but to start a real campaign to raise awareness about the value of art and the respect it deserves. 'A heartfelt thank you goes to the police, our security department and the restaurateurs, whose valuable work allowed the recovery of the work. 'And a special thank you to all of you who walk through the museum halls every day with care, attention and wonder. 'Because art is not just for seeing. It is to be loved. It is to be protected.' This incident is just one in a long line of tourists behaving badly while visiting the historic and beautiful destinations of Italy. Whether it's defacing and desecrating ancient relics, or causing a public nuisance, many have even faced fines for their antics and have faced the wrath of the Italian authorities.
