A museum has urged visitors to ‘respect art’ after a tourist sat on a chair covered in crystals — and shattered it.
The so-called ‘Van Gogh’ chair, named after the legendary Dutch artist, was housed at Palazzo Maffei, an art gallery in Verona, northern Italy .
Footage captured a couple posing for pictures around the chair after waiting for the security guard to leave.
The woman pretends to sit down before the man actually places his weight on the seat, which promptly cracks.
The pair dash out of the room, leaving the artwork in pieces on the floor.
The chair, designed by Italian artist Nicola Bolla, was studded with Swarovski crystals.
Palazzo Maffei shared the CCTV footage on Facebook, describing the described the act as an ‘irresponsible gesture’.
The museum said that, despite uncertainty over whether the fragile chair could be restored, they had managed to repair it.
It 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.’
It added: ‘For days, we did not know if it would be possible to restore it. But we did it.
‘A heartfelt thank you goes to the police, our security department and the restorers whose valuable work enabled the recovery of the piece.
‘And a special thank you to all those 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.’
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