Officials from the museum confirmed that the damage is reparable, and they intend to restore the artwork promptly. Uffizi Gallery director Simone Verde emphasized the need for stricter visitor regulations, noting that the trend of taking selfies and creating memes in galleries is becoming increasingly problematic. Verde remarked, “The problem of visitors coming to museums to make memes or take selfies for social media is rampant.”
The gallery plans to enforce limits on visitor behavior to protect the integrity of cultural heritage. The portrait was part of the ongoing exhibition "Florence and Europe: Arts of the Eighteenth Century," which had around 150 artworks displayed. Following this incident, the exhibition will be temporarily closed until July 2 as repairs are made to the painting, after which it will continue until November 28.
Earlier in 2023, an incident at Palazzo Maffei involved a man slipping onto an art piece while trying to pose for photos, highlighting the risks associated with visitor distractions in cultural spaces. Museum director Vanessa Carlon observed, "Sometimes we lose our brains to take a picture, and we don't think about the consequences. Of course, it was an accident, but these two people left without speaking to us - that isn't an accident."
The gallery plans to enforce limits on visitor behavior to protect the integrity of cultural heritage. The portrait was part of the ongoing exhibition "Florence and Europe: Arts of the Eighteenth Century," which had around 150 artworks displayed. Following this incident, the exhibition will be temporarily closed until July 2 as repairs are made to the painting, after which it will continue until November 28.
Earlier in 2023, an incident at Palazzo Maffei involved a man slipping onto an art piece while trying to pose for photos, highlighting the risks associated with visitor distractions in cultural spaces. Museum director Vanessa Carlon observed, "Sometimes we lose our brains to take a picture, and we don't think about the consequences. Of course, it was an accident, but these two people left without speaking to us - that isn't an accident."
