Damage caused in the picture “Portrait of Ferdinando de Medici, Great Prince of Tuscany”
A picture exposed in the Uffizi galleries in Florence was damaged by a tourist who was trying to do a ‘meme’. Last week, an exposed crystal chair on the Palazzo Maffei in Verona was destroyed when a tourist sat her to take a picture.
A 18th century painting of the Uffizi galleries in Florence, Italy, was this Saturday damaged by a tourist who fell on the screenwhen I tried to make a meme.
The picture in question is the “Portrait of Ferdinando de Medici, great prince of Tuscan”(1722), of Anton Domenico Gabbiania work of the permanent exhibition of neighboring Palazzo Pitti, but now part of the temporary show “Florence and Europe. The 16th century arts” in Uffizi.
According to sources from the galleries, which described the incident to the local press, the tourist stumbled while trying to take a ‘selfie’, and eventually leaned against the painting, tearing the screen.
Images by the magazine “Finestre Sull’Arte”, on their ‘site’, show a tear, up to the right foot of the portrayed, reaching the image of the boot of the mount of Ferdinando de Medici.
Museum employees, who intervened at the time, identified the touristwhat it was denounced to the authorities. The painting was removed to allow the intervention of restorers and, after repair, will return within a few days exposed on the show.
The gallery removed the damaged board, which should return to the exhibition within Dias
The director of Uffizi, Green Simonethat it all happened when “the tourist, wanting to do a” meme “, simulating the position of Prince Medici, fell back,” over the painting.
Speaking to the Italian press, Green warned of “increasing problem”Museum visitors who want to photograph themselves in front of works of art, endangering them, adding that it has proposed“ energetic measures ”to end this phenomenon.
“The problem of visitors who come to museums to do ‘memes’ or ‘selfies’ For social networks is increasing. We will set very accurate limits, preventing behaviors that are not compatible with the meaning of our institutions and respect for cultural heritage, ”he said.
Destroyed crystal chair
Last week, a Tourist destroyed a chair covered with crystals Swarovski, who was exposed at the Palazzo Maffei Museum in Verona. The museum’s surveillance chambers captured The moment the tourist sits in the chair, To pose for a photograph.
“The worst nightmare of any museum has come true. The irresponsible gesture caused serious damage to the chair, a delicate work entirely covered with crystals, ”says Vanessa Carlodirector of the museum, who published the images on social networks.
“One superficial and disrespectful behavior endangered the integrity of a work of art: the chair ‘Van Gogh‘From artist Nicola Bolla was damaged by some visitors, who, waiting for surveillance employees, took a photograph, ignoring all the rules of respect for art and cultural heritage, ”reads a note from the museum, quoted by.
“We decided do not limit ourselves to a simple complaint of the event. We want to transform the episode into a opportunity to reflect and sensitize The public: Art must be admired, lived, but above all respected. Always, ”adds the museum.
The work, considered “fragile”(Even discounting the weight of the tourist, which to evaluate by the images, is not little), is by the Italian artist Nicola Bolla and was inspired by famous straw chair portrayed by Vincent Van Gogh.
De Cordo Com or Palazzo Maffei, The couple left the place before being approached and still not identified.
Maffei Palace
Nicola Bolla’s chair with Swarovski crystals in honor of Van Gogh, exhibited at Palazzo Maffei, was destroyed by a tourist
The institution did not disclose the value of the work, which was acquired in 2022, but reported that the incident occurred less than four weeks ago. The chair has already been restored and is on display again.
