I’M YOUR VENUS: The Uffizi Gallery in Florence is taking legal action against the Jean Paul Gaultier brand – and a woman is at the centre of the dispute.
The Italian museum is suing the fashion house for the “unauthorized use” of the imagery from “The Birth of Venus,” the famous 15th-century painting by Sandro Botticelli showcased at the Florentine institution.
Jean Paul Gaultier has used the image of the Venus on “some of its clothing, promoting them also on its social media and website, but it has done so without asking for permission, agreeing on the usage and paying the fee, which is expressively provided for by law, instead,” according to an official statement released by the museum on Monday.
The statement refers to a ready-to-wear capsule collection dubbed “Le Musée,” which the brand dropped earlier this year as a tribute to the art world. It included dresses, tops, pants and scarves, all splashed with likenesses of Botticelli’s iconic Renaissance painting, as well as with images from “The Creation of Adam” and “The Three Graces” by Michelangelo and Rubens, respectively.
“According to the Codice dei Beni Culturali [Code of Cultural Heritage] the use of images under the Italian public propriety is compulsorily subjected to a specific authorization and the payment of a fee,” Uffizi’s statement said, adding that the museum’s legal office had dispatched a letter of formal notice to the fashion company back in April, when the capsule collection dropped.
The letter demanded Jean Paul Gaultier to take the items off the market or to get in touch with the museum to sort out a commercial deal. But the notification “has been substantially ignored,” the statement said.
The Jean Paul Gaultier company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Located in the historic center of Florence, Uffizi Gallery is one of the most prominent museums worldwide. In addition to “The Birth of Venus,” it houses also Botticelli’s “Spring” masterpiece as well as artworks from the likes of Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio and Rembrandt.
