Additional Coverage:
A crystal-covered chair, part of an exhibit at Italy’s Palazzo Maffei museum, met an untimely demise at the hands of a careless tourist. Surveillance footage shows the tourist plopping down on the delicate artwork, causing it to collapse.
The museum shared the video on social media, expressing their dismay and calling the act “the nightmare of every museum.” A museum employee narrating the video added, “What you just saw would be ridiculous if it hadn’t, unfortunately, actually happened.”
The museum noted that the tourist seemingly waited for security to leave the area before sitting on the fragile, Swarovski crystal-encrusted “Van Gogh” chair by Nicola Bolla. For days, the museum feared the artwork was beyond repair. However, thanks to the combined efforts of police, security, and restoration professionals, the chair was ultimately saved.
While relieved at the chair’s restoration, the museum hopes the incident will raise awareness about respecting art. It remains unknown whether the tourist responsible for the damage has been identified or will face any repercussions. The cost of the restoration has also not been disclosed.