Nicola Bolla’s ‘Van Gogh’ chair damaged by visitors trying to pose for a photo

The famous Van Gogh chair made by artist Nicola Bolla was recently destroyed by visitors. The incident took place at the Palazzo Maffei in Verona, Italy, in April, and was reported by the Palazzo Maffei Casa Museo on their social media handles on June 12.

In the museum’s video uploaded on Facebook and Instagram, a woman is first seen pretending to sit on the Van Gogh chair for a photo. Then, a man tries to pose the same way but loses his balance and ends up damaging the chair.

The statement written on the post stated:

"While waiting for the security staff to leave, some visitors took a dramatic photo. The result? An irresponsible act caused serious damage to Nicola Bolla’s “Van Gogh” chair, a very delicate artwork, entirely covered with hundreds of Swarovski crystals."

The caption also stated:

"We are sharing this incident not only out of a duty to report it, but also to launch a true awareness campaign about the value of art and the respect it deserves. A heartfelt thank you goes to the law enforcement, our security department, and the restorers, whose valuable work made it possible to recover the artwork."

As per the caption, the visitors waited for the staff to leave in order to take the photos. After damaging the chair, they quietly left the museum, although they got caught on camera.

Museum director Vanessa Carlon talks about the Van Gogh chair

Nicola Bolla’s chair is covered in Swarovski crystals, resembling the actual chair painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1888. His artwork, titled Van Gogh's Chair, inspired Bolla to recreate it as a tribute. While uploading the video, the museum blurred the couple’s faces. The police have not yet identified them.

Talking about the incident, museum director Vanessa Carlon said,

"Sometimes we lose our brains to take a picture, and we don't think about the consequences. Of course it was an accident, but these two people left without speaking to us - that isn't an accident. This is a nightmare for any museum"

As per Palazzo Maffei Casa Museo, the Van Gogh chair has been fully restored now and is kept back in the museum for visitors to have a look at.

However, many criticized the museum for keeping the delicate chair out in the open without enough protection. An art historian at Palazzo Maffei, Carlotta Menegazzo, spoke about the warning sign given on the chair by saying:

"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."

As of now, the museum has not disclosed the exact value of Nicola Bolla’s chair.

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