It took just seconds — and one ill-conceived photo-op — for a sparkling work of art to come crashing down.
At the Palazzo Maffei museum in Verona, Italy, surveillance footage caught a visitor damaging a delicate Swarovski crystal sculpture titled "Van Gogh Chair" by artist Nicola Bolla.
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WATCH HEREThe incident occurred after a couple waited for museum staff to exit the gallery room, then leaned over the protective barrier to take turns striking a pose. The man appears to slip and fall onto the chair, crushing it underneath him. The result: a one-of-a-kind broken chair — and a heap of public outrage.
The museum released the surveillance footage on their social media platforms, confirming that the artwork has undergone a painstaking restoration. The post was not just a security update — it was a statement.
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SIGN UP "It would be ridiculous — if it hadn't really happened. A museum's worst nightmare," wrote Vannessa Carlon, director of Palazzo Maffei, in the caption. The viral reel ends with the sculpture, painstakingly restored, glistening once again under gallery lights.
Nevertheless, Carlon made it clear that this was not to shame anyone — but instead about awareness.
The museum hopes the incident will spark a broader conversation about respecting art and the space that houses it.
"Art should indeed be admired and enjoyed- but always respected," Carlon emphasized, thanking the "many visitors who enter Palazzo Maffei every day with passion and respect."
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As for the photo-happy tourist couple? While their identities were protected by blurred faces, their actions are making them infamous.
