Tourist destroys priceless “Van Gogh” chair in museum by sitting on it

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A visitor at the Palazzo Maffei museum in Verona accidentally harmed a replica sculpture, adorned with Swarovski crystals, that was inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s renowned “Chair” artwork.

Back in April, I was blissfully exploring an art museum, and came across this stunning piece called Van Gogh’s Chair by Nicola Bolla. On June 16th, news broke out about an unfortunate event that occurred there – a video from the security cameras showed it all. A duo, like me and my buddy, were posing for a shot in front of this masterpiece, when suddenly, the man sat down on it! I kid you not, the artwork collapsed right under him. He quickly stabilized himself against a wall before casually strolling away. Can you believe it? The museum staff weren’t even there at the time to witness this epic fail.

In 2008, a sculpture adorned with countless Swarovski crystals was crafted from metal and aluminum. This artwork, titled as part of Bolla’s oeuvre, was displayed during a solo exhibition that showcased his work alongside modern and contemporary pieces housed in the museum’s collection.

Visitor seen on video damaging the intricate ‘Van Gogh’ chair by Nicola Bolla, an extremely fragile piece adorned with numerous Swarovski crystals.

— non aesthetic things (@PicturesFoIder) June 16, 2025

In simpler terms, Palazzo Maffei called the incident a “terrible nightmare,” claiming that the couple disregarded all rules concerning respect for art and culture. They reported the damage to the local authorities and initiated a restoration project to fix the damaged sculpture. Today, the artwork has been restored and placed back on display.

For several days, there was uncertainty whether we could salvage it, but we succeeded! We’re not just recounting this experience for documentation purposes, but to ignite a genuine movement emphasizing the importance of art and the reverence it deserves.

We deeply appreciate the efforts of the police, our security team, and the restoration crew whose diligent work made it possible for the artwork to be salvaged. These pieces are more than just visual experiences; they’re treasures to love and safeguard because art isn’t only about seeing – it’s also about feeling.

As a gamer, I’d put it like this: “I, as a museum director, have noticed that our visitors are hunting for the ultimate snapshot. This points to the difficulties we face in preserving delicate exhibits while still maintaining an open, barrier-free environment.

Authorities have not released the names or nationality of the tourists involved.

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2025-06-17 12:18