Latest news with #FlorenceandEurope:Artsofthe18thCentury
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Tourist destroys 300-year-old painting while trying to take a selfie
Source: X A reckless selfie attempt inside Florence's renowned Uffizi Gallery has once again raised alarms over the growing clash between tourism and cultural preservation. In an incident that sparked widespread outrage, a tourist damaged an 18th-century masterpiece while trying to mimic a royal pose for a photograph—another cautionary tale of how social media antics are putting centuries-old art at risk. A selfie, a stumble, and a hole in history The visitor, whose identity has not been publicly released, was exploring the Florence and Europe: Arts of the 18th Century exhibition on Saturday, when he attempted to imitate the pose of Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, as depicted in a portrait by Anton Domenico Gabbiani. While angling for the perfect selfie, the man lost his balance and stumbled backward, directly into the painting. The impact left a noticeable hole near the prince's right boot. Museum staff responded swiftly, identifying the culprit and reporting him to local police. The damaged artwork was immediately removed and sent for restoration. Fortunately, experts later confirmed the damage to be relatively incident occurred in a ground-floor gallery protected by low platforms designed to maintain a safe distance between visitors and the artworks. According to a trade union representing museum workers, the hazard had been flagged before, after another tourist had tripped in the same area without causing damage. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo Director calls for stricter rules as selfie culture spirals The episode has drawn sharp criticism from Uffizi Gallery director Simone Verde, who condemned the growing trend of visitors prioritizing social media content over cultural respect. Speaking to ANSA, Verde said: "We will establish clear rules to prevent behaviour that is incompatible with the purpose of our institutions and respect for cultural heritage. "This isn't the first instance of selfies leading to destruction in Italian museums. In a recent case reported by dpa, two tourists at the Palazzo Maffei in Verona destroyed a Swarovski-crystal-covered 'Van Gogh chair' by artist Nicola Bolla after sitting on the artwork to take photos—an act clearly captured by surveillance cameras. Source: X About the painting The damaged artwork, Portrait of Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, was painted by Anton Domenico Gabbiani between 1695 and 1700. Ferdinando de' Medici (1663–1713) was the eldest son of Cosimo III de' Medici and a key patron of the arts during his lifetime, especially renowned for his support of music and innovation. He played a pivotal role in fostering Florence's artistic reputation and famously backed Bartolomeo Cristofori, the inventor of the piano. Gabbiani's portrait presents Ferdinando in a dignified, regal pose—a hallmark of dynastic portraiture meant to emphasize the wealth, elegance, and political stature of the Medici lineage. The artist's style, marked by rich color palettes and dramatic composition, was deeply influenced by a 1699 trip to Venice—a journey encouraged and funded by Ferdinando himself to help the painter refine his technique. Though the painting is part of the Pitti Palace's permanent collection, it was temporarily loaned to the Uffizi Galleries as part of the exhibition Florence and Europe: Arts of the 18th Century, which runs from May 28 to November 28, 2025. The exhibit marks the first major display curated under the Uffizi's new director, Simone Verde.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Botched selfie: Tourist damages 18th-century painting at Uffizi Gallery in Florence
A tourist attempting to capture a picture of himself in front of an 18th-century portrait at the Uffizi Galleries in Florence tripped and left a hole in the artwork. The man taking a selfie stumbled on the platform intended to keep visitors at a distance from the portrait of Ferdinando de' Medici, "Grand Duke of Tuscany" (c.1695–1700) by Italian Baroque painter Anton Domenico Gabbiani. The footage of the incident was published in local media and on social media. The painting, which is included in the exhibition "Florence and Europe: Arts of the 18th Century" at the Uffizi, has since been removed for repair. The museum concluded that the damage is relatively minor. Still, the exhibition is now closed until 2 July following the incident. The painting will be repaired in the interim so it is ready to go back on display. The exhibition will then run, as originally planned, until 28 November. Simone Verde, the director of Uffizi Galleries said in a statement: '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." Verde added: "The tourist, who was immediately identified, will be prosecuted.' Museum-goers looking for the perfect snap and accidentally damaging exhibits is an increasing problem. The incident follows another recent damage courtesy of a tourist at the Palazzo Maffei in Verona. A visitor damaged a crystal-studded work called "Van Gogh's Chair" (2006-07) by the artist Nicola Bolla. CCTV footage caught the man sitting on the chair and posing for a photograph before the seat buckled under his weight. The museum said that the incident was reported to the police. In April, a painting by Mark Rothko was damaged by a child during an 'unguarded moment' at Dutch museum Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. The abstract painting from 1960, 'Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8', was 'scratched' by the child visiting the Rotterdam gallery where it was on display. Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad (AD) estimated that the painting was worth up to €50million.
Euronews
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Botched selfie: Tourist damages priceless painting at Florence gallery
A tourist attempting to capture a picture of himself in front of an 18th-century portrait at the Uffizi Galleries in Florence tripped and left a hole in the artwork. The man taking a selfie stumbled on the platform intended to keep visitors at a distance from the portrait of Ferdinando de' Medici, "Grand Duke of Tuscany" (c.1695–1700) by Italian Baroque painter Anton Domenico Gabbiani. The footage of the incident was published in local media and on social media. The painting, which is included in the exhibition "Florence and Europe: Arts of the 18th Century" at the Uffizi, has since been removed for repair. The museum concluded that the damage is relatively minor. Still, the exhibition is now closed until 2 July following the incident. The painting will be repaired in the interim so it is ready to go back on display. The exhibition will then run, as originally planned, until 28 November. Simone Verde, the director of Uffizi Galleries said in a statement: '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." Verde added: "The tourist, who was immediately identified, will be prosecuted.' Museum-goers looking for the perfect snap and accidentally damaging exhibits is an increasing problem. The incident follows another recent damage courtesy of a tourist at the Palazzo Maffei in Verona. A visitor damaged a crystal-studded work called "Van Gogh's Chair" (2006-07) by the artist Nicola Bolla. CCTV footage caught the man sitting on the chair and posing for a photograph before the seat buckled under his weight. The museum said that the incident was reported to the police. In April, a painting by Mark Rothko was damaged by a child during an 'unguarded moment' at Dutch museum Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen. The abstract painting from 1960, 'Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8', was 'scratched' by the child visiting the Rotterdam gallery where it was on display. Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad (AD) estimated that the painting was worth up to €50million.
