Authorities in Italy are working to determine the identity of a young woman who was captured on video engaging in inappropriate behaviour with a statue of Bacchus, the god associated with wine and sensuality, in the city of Florence during the weekend.
The incident has drawn strong condemnation from the country’s culture ministry and officials in Florence after images of the woman’s actions spread rapidly on social media platforms.
According to a report from CNN, the Florence mayor’s office described the behaviour as an act that “mimicked sex.”
According to Florence City Hall, the tourist’s identity remains unknown, and they suggested that she was “presumably in a state of inebriation.”
They said that if the woman is identified, she will face fines and potentially a lifetime ban from the city, in accordance with an ordinance that prohibits any form of abuse towards the country’s cultural heritage.
The statue in question is a replica of the original work created by sculptor Giambologna in the 16th century. Giambologna, who was influenced by Hellenistic sculpture and the works of Michelangelo, settled in Florence in 1552.
The original Bacchus statue is housed in the Bargello Museum in central Florence, while the replica is situated on a street corner near the Ponte Vecchio bridge.
The incident has elicited a wide range of responses on the social media platform X, ranging from outrage to ironic amusement.