US weapons company criticised for advert showing Michelangelo’s David holding a rifle

[WildestDreams]

Under fire: US weapons company criticised for advert showing Michelangelo’s David holding a rifle

Sunday 9 Mar 2014 5:13 pm

Italy’s culture minister has expressed his anger at an advert by a US weapons maker which depicts Michelangelo’s David holding a high-powered rifle.

Dario Franceschini has warned that the advertisement bearing the slogan ‘a work of art’ contravenes copyright law in Italy and is offensive.

Illinois-based ArmaLite first ran the campaign last May to promote its $3,000 (£1,800) AR-50A1 rifle but after an Italian magazine L’Espresso printed it this week Mr Franceschini urged them to withdraw it.

‘The image of an armed David offends and infringes the law. We will take action against the American company so that it immediately withdraws its campaign,’ he tweeted.

The Italian government owns the copyright on the commercial use of images of David and its historical heritage and fine arts board has now issued a legal notice to the American company.

‘The law says that the aesthetic value of the work cannot be distorted,’ explained Angelo Tartuferi, director of Florence’s Accademia Gallery, where the statue is displayed.

‘In this case, not only is the choice in bad taste but also completely illegal,’ he added.

Michelangelo is believed to have created the David sculpture between 1501 and 1504 and it is regarded as one of the masterpieces of the Renaissance.