A priceless 300-year-old painting at Florence's renowned Uffizi Gallery has been damaged after a visitor tripped while attempting to pose for a photo. The incident has led the gallery to consider imposing restrictions to protect its invaluable art collection, according to BBC. The painting, a portrait of Tuscan prince Ferdinando de' Medici created by Anton Domenico Gabbiani in 1712, suffered a torn canvas after the visitor fell backward while leaning into the artwork. Security footage captured the moment, revealing the visitor's attempt to "make a meme" went horribly wrong.
The museum explained to BBC that the damage could be repaired quickly, but director Simone Verde warned restrictions on visitor behaviour could be imposed in the future.
He said in a statement, "The problem of visitors coming to museums to make memes or take selfies for social media is rampant.
Watch: Tourist Destroys Crystal-Studded 'Van Gogh' Chair By Sitting On it
The Uffizi Gallery is now considering new measures to prevent such incidents in the future, emphasising the importance of respecting and protecting cultural heritage.
"We will set very precise limits, preventing behaviour that is not compatible with the sense of our institutions and respect for cultural heritage," he added.
The portrait was on display as part of an exhibition called Florence and Europe: Arts of the Eighteenth Century at the Uffizi. According to the gallery the visitor has been identified by the police and reported to the judicial authorities.
This incident follows a similar mishap where a tourist sat on a Van Gogh chair, causing it to buckle under their weight. These incidents have raised concerns about the need for stricter guidelines to ensure the preservation of priceless artworks.
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