Tourists Shatter Nicola Bolla’s Swarovski-Crystal ‘Van Gogh’ Chair at Verona’s Palazzo Maffei Museum

A couple visiting Verona’s Palazzo Maffei museum was captured on surveillance cameras damaging the crystal-covered “Van Gogh” chair, an artwork by Italian artist Nicola Bolla. After waiting for security staff to leave the gallery, the man sat on the piece—crafted from hundreds of Swarovski crystals—to pose for a photograph, causing it to collapse under his weight. The pair immediately left the room following the incident. The museum later released the footage and issued a public appeal for visitors to respect the artworks on display. Local media report that conservators have since restored the fragile chair, while authorities continue efforts to identify the tourists.