A couple breaks the “Van Gogh chair” when trying to take a picture in a Italian museum

A glass -covered chair is broken on two legs. — Photo foot, The chair is called “van Gogh” in tribute to a painting by the Dutch artist.

Author, Joshua Cheetham
Author's title, BBC News
June 15, 2025

“This is a nightmare for any museum.”

The Palazzo Maffei, in Verona (Italy), has asked its visitors to “respect art” after a couple broke a chair covered with hundreds of crystals, an incident that was recorded in the security cameras of the museum.

The images shared by the institution itself show a man and a woman taking photos while pretending to be sitting in the so -called “Van Gogh chair”.

When man is doing what the museum described as an “irresponsible gesture,” seems to slip and fall on the seat, breaking it.

The chair was created by Italian artist Nicola Bolla and is adorned with Swarovski crystals made of polished glass and machine cut.

He is named after the famous Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh in tribute to the painting of a simple chair he made in 1888.

The museum authorities indicated that the couple fled the place before the staff realized what happened.

Couple 1 — Photo foot, The moment she takes the photo and he simulates sitting.

The couple 3 — Photo foot, The man gets up with her help and the chair is visibly damaged.

“Sometimes we go crazy when taking a picture and we don't think about the consequences,” said Museum's director Vanessa Carlon.

“Of course it was an accident, but these two people left without telling us anything; that is not an accident,” he added.

Invaluable

As indicated by the museum itself, this occurred in April. The Palazzo Maffei published the images last Thursday.

“For days, we didn't know if it would even be possible to restore it,” the museum said on its social networks.

The Bolla piece is invaluable and the museum refused to provide an estimate of its value when the BBC wanted to know its price.

Carlotta Menegazzo, art historian of the Palazzo Maffei, said that, although it seems robust, its structure is mostly hollow and remains linked with aluminum foil.

“In the chair there was a note that warned people not to touch it and, of course, it is placed on a pedestal, so it is evident that it is not a real chair,” Menegazzo said.

The moment when the chair already restored re -placed — Photo foot, The chair already restored returning to its place.

Two of the legs and the main seat broke, but Menegazzo reported that a great job was done to restore the piece and that it is now again in place.

Carlon said that the majority of visitors are respectful and that they expect the publication of the images of the security cameras not to make the fact a “negative episode.”

In his opinion, “everyone should enter places of art, museums or churches, wherever art is exhibited, more respectfully.”

“Art must be respected and loved because it is very fragile,” he said.

The Palazzo Maffei opened its doors in 2020 and exhibits 650 works, including Picasso paintings and ancient Egyptian art.