An 18th-century oil painting at Florence's Uffizi Gallery sustained damage after a tourist fell while attempting to take a selfie in front of the artwork. The gallery reported that the visitor, who was trying to create a viral meme, tripped and fell backward into the portrait of Ferdinando de' Medici, painted by Anton Domenico Gabbiani.
The Uffizi Gallery acknowledged that the damage could be repaired relatively soon, but director Simone Verde expressed concern about the increasing prevalence of visitors prioritizing social media antics over the respect due to cultural heritage. Verde emphasized in a statement, "The problem of visitors coming to museums to make memes or take selfies for social media is rampant." He revealed that stricter regulations on visitor behavior may soon be implemented to safeguard the integrity and respect of such institutions.
The damaged piece was part of the exhibition titled "Florence and Europe: Arts of the Eighteenth Century," which featured around 150 artworks. Following the accident, the exhibition has been temporarily closed until 2 July for repairs to be completed. Once restored, the painting will return, and the exhibit will continue until 28 November as originally planned.
Earlier this year, a related incident occurred at Palazzo Maffei in Verona, where a man also damaged a work by Italian artist Nicola Bolla while posing for a photo, illustrating how the desire for the perfect picture can lead to unintended consequences. Museum director Vanessa Carlon noted, “Sometimes we lose our brains to take a picture, and we don't think about the consequences.” She also lamented that the individuals involved left the scene without discussing the mishap, calling it "not an accident."
