This is the moment a tourist sat on a ‘Van Gogh’ chair at an art gallery – before the antique collapsed under his weight.
The crystal-covered furniture, named after the legendary Dutch artist, was housed at Palazzo Maffei, an art museum in Verona.
Footage captured a woman and a man posing for pictures around the chair after waiting for the art gallery security to leave.
The woman pretends to sit down before the man actually places his weight on the seat, which promptly cracks.
The pair dash out of the room, leaving the damaged chair bent over on the floor.
The piece was designed by Italian artist Nicola Bolla and was studded with Swarovski crystals.
Palazzo Maffei shared the CCTV footage on Facebook, describing the described the act as an ‘irresponsible gesture’.
The museum said that, despite uncertainty over whether the fragile chair could be restored, the museum managed to repair it.
It said: ‘Every museum’s nightmare has become reality, even in Palazzo Maffei. Waiting for the surveillance officers to come out, some visitors took an “in effect” photo.
‘The result? An irresponsible gesture caused serious damage to Nicola Bolla’s “Van Gogh” chair, a very delicate work, covered entirely with hundreds of Swarovski crystals.’
It added: ‘For days, we did not know if it would be possible to restore it. But we did it.
‘A heartfelt thank you goes to the police, our security department and the restorers whose valuable work enabled the recovery of the piece.
‘And a special thank you to all those 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.’
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