A clueless tourist sat down on the "Van Gogh" chair, which was adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals, and shattered it.
Security footage from the Palazzo Maffei in Verona, Italy, captured the disastrous moment a man ignored both common sense and museum etiquette and decided to sit on an art installation decorated with shimmering Swarovski crystals.
Instead of faking a seat like the woman he was with, the unnamed tourist lowered his full weight onto the fragile sculpture.
In a split second, the chair, created by Italian artist Nicola Bolla and modeled after a seat featured in one of the Dutch painter’s iconic works, buckled under him.
The man grasped at the wall while his partner scrambled to help him up. The pair then bolted from the scene, leaving the damaged art piece behind.
The museum didn't take the violation lightly. They took to their social media platform and publicly posted the incident, slamming the duo’s behavior as “superficial” and “disrespectful".
“They ignored every rule of respect for art and cultural heritage,” the museum fumed, pointing out that the pair had clearly waited for the room to be momentarily unguarded before attempting their ill-fated photo op.
“Every museum's nightmare has become reality, even in Palazzo Maffei,” the institution posted, per The Sun.
They also noted that “an irresponsible gesture caused serious damage to Nicola Bolla's Van Gogh chair, a very delicate work, covered entirely with hundreds of Swarovski crystals".
The backlash online was swift and brutal. “Idiots! I hope they are reported!” one user seethed in the comments. Another shared: “The embodiment of mediocrity, rudeness and ignorance.”
A third commented: "I hope they pay for the damage and if it’s invaluable, they must at least give them a pretty fine," while a fourth added: "This is crazy! I have seen that building and the artistic beauties it contains made generously available by the owner, so that others, everyone can enjoy... They should be identified and punished for the damage caused."
Thankfully, this blunder didn’t end in total tragedy as a few tense days later, museum staff confirmed the piece had been fully restored.
“For days, we didn’t know if it would be possible to restore it. But we did it,” said a museum staffer on Facebook.
Thanks to a team of expert restorers, law enforcement, and in-house security, the art piece has been returned to its former sparkling glory.
The museum issued a follow-up statement: “We are sharing this episode not only for the sake of reporting, but to start a real campaign to raise awareness about the value of art and the respect it deserves.”
“A heartfelt thank you goes to the police, our security department, and the restorers, whose valuable work allowed the recovery of the work,” it continued. “And a special thank you to all of you who walk through the museum halls every day with care, attention, and wonder. Because art is not just for seeing. It is to be loved. It is to be protected.”
It’s still unclear whether the couple will face any financial or legal consequences for the mess they caused.