When was this, I wonder? I definitely was able to take pictures when I visited in 2019.

Might depend on the person watching it, as museums tend to go... I witnessed someone nearly being ejected from the vatican museum recently, when they were visibly but not disrespectfully amused about a painting that was clearly made to elicit that response. Another person tried to take a picture and had to give their phone to the guard, who then proceeded to delete it and check if they took any others. I would've loved to watch that room for a while longer to see what else that guy was up to.

I was once forbidden to even draw in an art museum. I thought it was some mistake, an over zealous interpretation of the law. But the museum director herself confirmed it. Still can’t believe it.

That’s funny: I remember seeing it in the mid-to-late 90s and being amazed at how lax the security was. I took several pics and walked all around it.