Uffizi Gallery in Florence

Climate activists cover Botticelli’s Venus with stickers

The "Birth of Venus" is one of the most famous works by Italian painter Sandro Botticelli.

(Bild: GiorgioMorara - stock.adobe.com)

In protest against international climate policy, militant climate activists have covered one of the most famous paintings by Italian painter Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510): the "Birth of Venus". On Tuesday in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the two men from the Last Generation group taped several photographs of floods to the window protecting the painting, according to the police.

They also held up a poster demanding a special fund of 20 billion euros to repair climate damage. According to initial findings, the painting was not damaged. The police took the two men into custody.

The protest at the much-visited museum is one of a whole series of actions against famous works of art in various countries. After the action, security staff at the Uffizi cleared the room in which the "Birth of Venus" hangs and switched off the lights.

Heavy fines threatened
The two men now face heavy fines: last month, the parliament in Rome passed a law according to which militant climate activists can be sentenced to pay up to 60,000 euros if they deface monuments. It is now also in force.

In recent years, activists from climate protection movements such as Ultima Generazione - Last Generation - have also targeted various landmarks in Italy. These included St. Mark's Basilica in Venice and the Trevi Fountain in Rome. There was no lasting damage. A coalition of three right-wing parties has been in government in Italy since October 2022.