Museumgoer Takes Selfie By 18th-Century Sculpture, Knocks Over 18th-Century Sculpture

Guys. Come on. If you’re going to take a selfie by a sculpture, please, please make sure you are far enough away to not do this:

It was a dark week for an 18th-century sculpture of archangel Saint Michael that came toppling to the ground after an unnamed museumgoer snapped a photo while seriously encroaching on the statue’s personal space.

A Brazilian tourist was visiting Lisbon’s National Museum of Ancient Art (NMAA) when he felt compelled to document a special moment with the polychrome wooden artwork. Unfortunately, he got too close in an attempt to get the most flattering angle, and the statue fell to the ground while guards and other visitors looked on in horror.

“The statue is very affected in the wings, in one arm and mantle,” the museum’s deputy director José Alberto Seabra Carvalho explained to Diário de Notícias. “The damage is severe but reversible.” The piece is currently under examination by a conservation team for further analysis.

This is not the first time a statue has fallen victim to a selfie gone awry. We’re praying it will be the last.

H/T Hyperallergic