The piece, a glittering sculpture called the “Van Gogh” chair, was created by Italian artist Nicola Bolla and covered in hundreds of Swarovski crystals. But instead of admiring it from a safe distance, the pair decided to pose for pictures – with disastrous results, reported the Guardian.
Security footage from the Palazzo Maffei museum shows the man and woman taking turns sitting on the fragile artwork, which is part of a series inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s iconic painting of a wooden chair. While the man was pretending to sit on the sculpture, he lost his balance and fell onto it, causing the delicate chair to collapse under his weight.
The incident took place in April, but the museum only revealed the damage this month. The fall shattered the chair’s legs and crushed its seat, leaving the artwork in pieces. What’s even worse is that after causing the destruction, the couple quickly fled the scene without informing any staff or even checking if anyone had noticed.
“This is a nightmare for any museum,” said Palazzo Maffei director Vanessa Carlon. “Of course it was an accident, but these two people left without speaking to us – that isn’t an accident.”
Despite the clear signs warning visitors not to touch the artwork, the couple’s reckless actions led to significant damage. The “Van Gogh” chair, while appearing sturdy at first glance, is actually made of a fragile hollow frame held together by foil. It wasn’t built for the kind of rough handling the couple subjected it to.
The museum has since reported the incident to the police, but the individuals involved remain unidentified. It’s hard not to wonder whether they realized the extent of the damage they caused – or if they simply didn’t care.
The situation is a tough blow for the museum, which works hard to protect its collection and maintain the integrity of its exhibits. But the bigger issue here is the complete disregard for the rules and the lack of responsibility shown by the couple involved.
This incident highlights the growing problem of people treating museum exhibits like photo props, often without considering the consequences. Whether it’s touching, climbing, or trying to get the perfect Instagram shot, it’s clear that some visitors need to think twice before getting too hands-on with priceless art.