Tourists Destroy Swarovski Chair at Palazzo Maffei Verona

At the Palazzo Maffei museum in Verona, Italy, a couple of tourists damaged a fragile, Swarovski crystal-covered chair titled "Van Gogh Chair" by artist Nicola Bolla while posing for photos. Surveillance footage revealed the man sat on the chair, which promptly collapsed under his weight, after the couple waited for staff to leave the gallery. The tourists fled the scene without reporting the damage, prompting the museum to notify police and release the footage publicly to raise awareness about respecting art. Museum director Vanessa Carlon described the incident as a "nightmare for any museum" but emphasized it was not intended to shame the couple, instead sparking a conversation on art appreciation and respect. The chair has since undergone painstaking restoration and is back on display. Artist Nicola Bolla reflected that while the incident was careless, it also highlighted that art can engage ordinary people beyond just artists.