Security Footage Captures
The incident unfolded when the tourist, accompanied by a woman, attempted to pose for photos near the fragile chair. At first, he only pretended to sit, but later decided to sit on it fully. As soon as he did, the delicate structure collapsed beneath him. Security footage captured the man losing balance and trying to grab the wall to avoid falling, while the woman rushed to help him up.
Instead of alerting staff, the couple quietly left the room without informing the museum. The gallery later shared the footage online to raise awareness and express their frustration over the careless act.
“Every museum’s nightmare has become reality, even in Palazzo Maffei,” the museum posted on Instagram, adding,
“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 said it wasn’t just reporting the event, but wanted to start a campaign about respecting art.
“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.”
