The oil painting by Anton Domenico Gabbiani comes from the 18th century and was mildly damaged when a tourist "tried to make a meme" in front of the portrait and backed into it. According to the museum's director Simone Verde, stricter restrictions may be on the way to prevent similar mishaps in the future.
"The problem with visitors who come to museums to create memes or take selfies for social media is widespread. We will set very exact boundaries and prevent behaviors that are not compatible with our institutions' perception and respect for the cultural heritage", said Verde in a statement.
The artwork got away with minor damage that can be repaired, but similar things have happened just earlier this year.
At Palazzo Maffei in Verona, a man apparently slipped and fell onto a jewel-encrusted chair by the Italian artist Nicola Bolla when he took photos with a woman and pretended to sit on the chair.
