Tourist Breaks Swarovski-Encrusted Chair at Museum

A tourist at Verona's Palazzo Maffei museum broke the 'Van Gogh' chair, an artwork by Nicola Bolla encrusted with hundreds of Swarovski crystals, after sitting on it for a photo despite warnings not to touch. CCTV footage showed the man fully sitting on the fragile chair while his companion only pretended, and both fled the scene without alerting staff. The museum condemned the act as irresponsible and highlighted the need to respect cultural heritage. Initially, it was feared the chair was beyond repair, but skilled restorers, assisted by police and museum staff, managed to restore it after several days. Public reaction was widely critical, blaming a culture of photo-ops over respect for art. It remains unclear whether the couple will face any legal or financial consequences.