Florence’s Uffizi Gallery has decided to take legal action against French designer Jean Paul Gaultier’s fashion house of over its “unauthorised use of Botticelli's Venus".
Multiple clothing items, including skirts, vests, trousers and shirts featuring either parts of, or the entirety of the masterwork have been produced by the brand in recent years.
Regarding the garments, images of which have also been publicised on the brand's social media and website, the museum stated:
“The fashion house has in fact used an image of the masterpiece kept in the museum to make clothes without asking for permission, agreeing on the terms of use, or paying the fee, as is specifically required by law."
An example of Gaultier's garments that the Uffizi claim have unlawfully utilised Boticelli's artwork. (Photo: ANSA)
“The Uffizi's legal office took immediate action, sending the fashion house a cease and desist letter, asking it to withdraw the garments with the image of Venus or, alternatively, to contact the museum as soon as possible to secure the commercial agreement necessary to remedy the abuse."
Uffizi representatives claim that this initial cease and desist, sent to the fashion house in April, "has been substantially ignored".
As a consequence, the museum has initiated legal action, seeking the withdrawal of the ‘illegitimate’ garments as well as a request for damages in favour of the Uffizi Gallery, the statement concluded.
