A focus of this destruction get on objects considered sinful, including vanity items such as mirrors, cosmetics, fine dresses, & possibly instrument. More targets involved immoral books, manuscripts of lay songs, & pictures. Among a objects destroyed in that campaign were many original paintings on authoritative mythological subjects by Sandro Botticelli, who set the children in the balefire himself.

Tom Wolfe's novel The Bonfire of the Vanities, published in 1987, makes reference to the original event, however is non the retelling of the story.