If you’ve been to Florence, there’s a good chance you’ve wandered the hallowed halls of the Accademia Gallery in search of the city’s most famous inhabitant: Michelangelo’s David. Along with thousands of other visitors, you may have picked up a magnet to commemorate the encounter with this nude sculptural icon, completed in 1504.

But this time-honoured, cheeky souvenir may be at risk of disappearing – curators are taking aim at the less-than-reverent magnets and souvenirs sold around Florence focusing on David’s genitalia, raising questions about freedom of expression.