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A tourist has been caught on CCTV sitting on a crystal-studded ‘Van Gogh’ chair exhibit in an Italian art gallery – before it buckles under him.
The chair, which is named after the famous Dutch painter, is housed in the Maffei Palace, Verona, and is covered with hundreds of Swarovski crystals.
It was designed by Italian artist Nicola Bolla and is described by local media as being ‘extremely fragile and delicate’.
However, it appears that while admiring the art, a tourist spotted their opportunity for a photo with no security around – without regard for the chair’s condition.
In the shocking footage, a man and woman can be seen posing with the eye-catching chair in the otherwise empty room.
As the man takes the woman’s photo, she leans in front of the the chair in order to create the illusion in the photograph that she is sitting on it.
But the man took this one step further and can be seen hovering above the exhibit, before placing himself down on it.
The chair immediately bends back into the wall and is left in a crooked state as the pair scurry out of the room.
As the man takes the woman’s photo, she leans in front of the the chair in order to create the illusion in the photograph that she is sitting on it
But the man took this one step further, and can be seen hovering above the exhibit
He then places himself down on the chair which immediately buckles under him
The crystal-studded art is is left in a crooked state as the pair scurry out of the room
In the aftermath of the incident, the museum’s social media accounts released a statement describing the ‘nightmare’ situation.
They said: ‘Every museum’s nightmare has become reality, even in Palazzo Maffei.
‘Waiting for the surveillance officers to come out, some visitors took an “in effect” photo.
‘The result? An irresponsible gesture caused serious damage to Nicola Bolla’s “Van Gogh” chair, a very delicate work, covered entirely with hundreds of Swarovski crystals.’
The museum was in crisis for days as it was unsure whether they could repair it, given the severity of the damage.
Another angle of the incident shows the man with his back against the wall as the chair buckles underneath him
But thanks to ‘restorers who did a fantastic job’ and Italian law enforcement who assisted in their efforts, the museum has said ‘the piece is shining once again’.
They added: ‘We are sharing this episode not only for the sake of reporting, but to start a real campaign to raise awareness about the value of art and the respect it deserves.
‘A heartfelt thank you goes to the police, our security department and the restaurateurs, whose valuable work allowed the recovery of the work.
‘And a special thank you to all of you who walk through the museum halls every day with care, attention and wonder.
‘Because art is not just for seeing. It is to be loved. It is to be protected.’
