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.
