Tourist Breaks Crystal ‘Van Gogh’ Chair at Verona Museum

At the Palazzo Maffei museum in Verona, Italy, a pair of tourists caused significant damage to Nicola Bolla's crystal-covered sculpture "Van Gogh's Chair" by sitting on it, as captured by surveillance footage. The artwork, a tribute to Vincent van Gogh's 1888 painting of a simple chair, collapsed under the man's weight, breaking its delicate legs and causing the pair to quickly leave the exhibit. Museum officials described the incident as a nightmare due to the chair's fragile structure adorned with hundreds of Swarovski crystals. Fortunately, restoration experts were able to repair the piece, and it has been returned to display. The museum used the incident as a reminder of the importance of respecting and protecting art, while the artist himself viewed the event with irony and suggested it could inspire a new artwork. Despite an ongoing investigation, the identities of the tourists remain unknown.