Overview

• A tourist tripped over a low barrier while mimicking the pose in Anton Domenico Gabbiani’s portrait of Ferdinando de’ Medici and tore the canvas.
• The museum removed the work for light repairs and said it will return to display once restoration is complete.
• Authorities identified the visitor and reported him to police on charges of damaging cultural heritage.
• Uffizi director Simone Verde condemned visitors targeting artworks for social media content and announced precise new rules for conduct.
• The incident follows a similar April case in Verona where a tourist broke a crystal-studded chair while posing, highlighting a wider problem of reckless behavior at Italian museums.