Florence Museum Fights to Protect Michelangelo’s David from Commercial Exploitation

Legal victories invoking Italy’s cultural heritage code highlight tensions between cultural patrimony and freedom of expression.

The Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence is leading legal battles to protect the dignity of Michelangelo’s David from commercial exploitation.
Cecilie Hollberg, the museum's director, has won significant damages through lawsuits invoking Italy’s cultural heritage code.
The legal actions challenge the widely held practice of artworks entering the public domain after the artist's lifetime plus 70 years.
There is a debate over whether such legal protections limit freedom of expression and the rights to reinterpret public domain artworks.
Other European countries have similar laws, but Italy’s aggressive stance could discourage the licensing of its artworks.