Tourist damages painting at Italian museum while taking selfie

A tourist damaged a late 17th-century painting at the Gallerie degli Uffizi, the world's leading Renaissance museum in Florence, on Saturday (21) after tripping and falling on the work while trying to take a selfie.

The man, whose identity has not been revealed, did not realize that the painting by Italian artist Anton Domenico Gabbiani was behind him when he stepped back to take a photo and collided with the work, slightly damaging it.

The information was released by the Italian museum itself, whose staff intervened immediately and took the "Portrait of Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany", by Gabbiani, for restoration. In a statement, the Gallerie degli Uffizi explained that the visitor was identified and will be reported, given that, despite it being an accident, the painting suffered "minor damage".

The work is on display at the Uffizi as part of the exhibition "Florence and Europe. Arts of the 18th Century".