Uffizi Galleries sue Jean Paul Gaultier over use of Botticelli images
Italy’s Uffizi Galleries are suing the French fashion house Jean Paul Gaultier for damages that could reach over €100,000 (£88,000) after the company’s allegedly unauthorised use of images of Botticelli’s Renaissance masterpiece, The Birth of Venus, to adorn a range of clothing products, including T-shirts, leggings and bodices. The matter came to light earlier this year after the Uffizi in Florence was notified of the garments being advertised by Jean Paul Gaultier on its website and social media. The painting by Sandro Botticelli is the centrepiece of the Botticelli Rooms at the world-famous galleries and, according to Italian law, any use of the country’s publicly-owned art to sell merchandise requires permission and payment of a fee.