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A couple of tourists broke a priceless “Van Gogh” chair by sitting on it for a photo then fled the scene without taking any responsibility. The chair had been on display at the Palazzo Maffei in Verona, Italy.
According to the BBC, two legs and the main seat were broken on the chair that was built by Italian artist Nicola Bolla. The chair was created in tribute to one of Vincent Van Gogh’s most famous paintings.
Covered in Swarovski crystals made from polished, machine-cut glass, the “Van Gogh” chair has a mostly hollow frame and kept together with foil.
“On the chair was a note warning people not to touch, and of course it is placed on a pedestal, so it’s quite clear it’s not a real chair,” said Carlotta Menegazzo, an art historian based at the Palazzo Maffei.
🖼️Nightmare at the Italian museum: Tourist sat on the 'Van Gogh' chair and crushed it with his weight
Adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals, the chair was exhibited at the Maffei Palace in Verona. The artist behind the piece is Italian artist Nicola Bolla.
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Museum director Vanessa Carlon said in a video posted on social media that the tourists “waited for the staff to leave the room, and then… off they went, indifferent to what had happened.”
Palazzo Maffei officials say the unidentified tourists fled the museum without notifying anyone that they had damaged the priceless work of art, but once the damage was discovered they notified the police. So far, no arrests have been made.
“Sometimes we lose our brains to take a picture, and we don’t think about the consequences,” said Carlon. “Of course it was an accident, but these two people left without speaking to us – that isn’t an accident,” adding, “This is a nightmare for any museum.”