Overview

• CCTV footage showed two tourists waited for guards to leave before the man sat on the Swarovski-encrusted chair, causing it to collapse under his weight.
• The chair, designed by Nicola Bolla and named after Vincent van Gogh, was covered in hundreds of Swarovski crystals and deemed “every museum’s nightmare” after the damage.
• Restoration experts and Italian police collaborated over several days to mend the chair, ultimately confirming its successful repair.
• Palazzo Maffei used its social channels to launch an awareness campaign urging visitors to respect art and cultural heritage.
• Online reactions ranged from outrage and condemnation to questions about whether the tourists will face legal or financial repercussions.