The chair, named for the great Dutch painter, is kept in Verona’s Maffei Palace and is embellished with hundreds of Swarovski crystals.
It was created by Italian artist Nicola Bolla and is described by local media as ‘very frail and delicate’.
However, it appears that while admiring the sculpture, a tourist saw an opportunity for a shot with no security present – regardless of the chair’s condition.
In the frightening video, a man and woman are seen posing with the eye-catching chair in an otherwise empty room.
As the man shoots the woman’s portrait, she leans in front of the chair, creating the illusion that she is sitting on it.
However, the man went one step farther, hovering above the exhibit before settling down on it.
The chair promptly bends back into the wall, leaving it crooked as the couple flees the room.
Following the incident, the museum’s social media channels posted a statement outlining the ‘horror’ situation.
They stated, ‘Every museum’s dread has become reality, including Palazzo Maffei.
‘While waiting for the surveillance agents to appear, several tourists took a “in effect” photograph.
“What was the end result?” An careless gesture caused significant damage to Nicola Bolla’s “Van Gogh” chair, a delicate work coated totally in hundreds of Swarovski crystals.
However, owing to’restorers who performed a magnificent job’ and Italian law enforcement who cooperated in their efforts, the museum reports that ‘the object is dazzling once again’.
They went on to say, “We are sharing this episode not only for reporting purposes, but also to kick off a real campaign to raise awareness about the value of art and the respect it deserves.”
‘We would like to express our profound gratitude to the police, our security department, and the restaurateurs for their invaluable assistance in resuming operations.
“A particular thank you to everyone who walks through the museum halls every day with care, attention, and astonishment.
‘Because art isn’t just for viewing. It’s to be loved. It is to be safeguarded.
This is just one of many incidents involving tourists misbehaving while visiting Italy’s historic and picturesque locations.
Whether it’s defacing and desecrating ancient monuments or producing a public nuisance, many have received penalties and faced the wrath of Italian authorities.
