Fact Check: Visitor fell backwards into painting while mimicking prince's pose for social media.

Published June 25, 2025

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# Fact Check: Visitor Fell Backwards into Painting While Mimicking Prince's Pose for Social Media ## What We Know A recent incident at the Uffizi Gal...

Fact Check: Visitor Fell Backwards into Painting While Mimicking Prince's Pose for Social Media

What We Know

A recent incident at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, involved a visitor damaging an 18th-century painting while attempting to take a selfie. The painting in question is a portrait of Ferdinando de' Medici, Grand Prince of Tuscany, created by Anton Domenico Gabbiani. According to the gallery, the tourist fell backwards while trying to "make a meme" in front of the artwork, which resulted in a tear near the bottom of the canvas where the subject's foot is depicted (BBC, The Guardian). The museum's director, Simone Verde, noted that this incident highlights a growing problem of visitors engaging in risky behavior for social media purposes (Daily Mail, The Daily Beast).

The Uffizi Gallery has since reported that the damage to the painting can be repaired quickly, and the exhibition featuring the artwork has been temporarily closed until July 2 for repairs (BBC, The Guardian). The visitor has been identified and reported to the police for damaging cultural heritage (New York Post, Express).

Analysis

The evidence surrounding this incident is corroborated by multiple reputable sources, including major news outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, and the New York Post. Each source provides consistent details about the event, including the visitor's actions, the nature of the damage, and the museum's response.

The reliability of the sources is generally high, as they are established news organizations known for their journalistic standards. For instance, the BBC and The Guardian have a long-standing reputation for accurate reporting, while the New York Post, although sometimes criticized for sensationalism, has reported the facts of this incident without embellishment. The emphasis on the museum's response and the potential for new restrictions on visitor behavior adds credibility to the claims made.

However, it is important to note that while the incident is described as an accident, the museum's director expressed concern over the increasing trend of visitors prioritizing social media over respect for cultural heritage. This context adds depth to the narrative, suggesting that the incident is part of a larger issue regarding visitor behavior in museums (The Daily Beast, Express).

Conclusion

The claim that a visitor fell backwards into a painting while mimicking a prince's pose for social media is True. The incident has been widely reported and verified by multiple credible sources, all of which describe the same sequence of events and the subsequent actions taken by the Uffizi Gallery. The visitor's behavior, motivated by a desire to create social media content, aligns with the museum's concerns about the impact of such actions on cultural heritage.

Sources

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