Two climate activists recently made headlines by affixing images of environmental devastation onto the glass panel protecting Botticelli’s iconic fifteenth-century masterpiece, The Birth of Venus, at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
Hailing from the group Last Generation, a national student-led alliance, these activists chose their name to symbolize their belief that they represent the final generation before the Earth reaches a critical tipping point in its climate system. The images they put onto The Birth of Venus depicted a flooded Tuscan town, serving as a stark visual representation of the urgent climate crisis.
Expressing their frustration with governmental inaction, one of the protestors remarked, “The government continues to turn a blind eye to the reality of climate change: ignoring the scorched fields of January, downplaying the impending water scarcity this summer, and dismissing the devastating floods as mere accidents rather than consequences of human actions. Instead of addressing these pressing issues, it wastes time on trivial laws.”
Following their actions at the Uffizi Gallery, the activists were subsequently removed and taken to a police station, as reported by France 24.
In a related incident in November, a judge in Florence ruled that two activists who had affixed their hands to the glass protecting another Botticelli canvas at the Uffizi in 2022 were not guilty of committing a felony.
The context of these events coincides with the approval, in January, of a law by the Italian parliament that increases penalties for individuals who damage monuments and cultural sites. This legislative response follows a series of ongoing climate protests that have swept across Europe.
The group Last Generation initiated its peaceful protests in Italy back in 2022, ahead of the country’s general election. During these demonstrations, activists consistently urged politicians to prioritize addressing climate change.
Recent reports from the European Commission indicate that Italy is projected to exceed its 2030 emission targets significantly.
