Italian museums are asking patrons to “respect for art” after the film was filmed about a couple smashing hundreds of glittering crystal-covered chairs.
The footage released by Maffey Palace in Verona shows a man and a woman taking pictures of each other, pretending to be sitting in a so-called “Van Gogh” chair.
The man then slides down into a chair and crushes underneath him.
Officials say the couple fled the museum before staff realized what had happened.
They have since notified police about the pair that has not been identified.
“Sometimes you lose your brain and you can take photos, but you don’t think about the consequences,” says museum director Vanessa Carlon.
“Of course, it was an accident, but these two were left without telling us – it’s not an accident,” she adds. “This is a nightmare for any museum.”
The BBC understands that the incident took place in April. Mafay Palace released the footage on June 12th.
The chair is built by Italian artist Nicola Mulla and is covered in gemstones with Swarovski crystals made from sophisticated machine cut glass. It is named after Vincent van Gogh and is a homage to the Dutch artist’s simple chair painting.
Mullet’s work is somewhat valuable in that when asked by the BBC, the museum refused to provide an estimate of its value.
Carlotta Menegazzo, an art historian based at the Maffey Palace, says that although it looks sturdy, its frame is mostly hollow and is kept along with the foil.
“The chair had a note warning people not to touch them. Of course, it’s on a pedestal, so it’s clear that it’s not a real chair,” says Menegazzo.
The two legs and main sheets were broken, but Menegazzo says “a great job” was done to restore the work.
Mafei Palace opened in 2020 and features 650 exhibitions, including paintings of Picasso and ancient Egyptian art.
Carlon says the majority of visitors are considerate and hopes that this release of CCTV footage will not become a “negative episode.”
Instead, she wants to emphasize that “everyone should enter the arts location, museums and churches, and places where art is displayed in a more respectful way.”
“Art is so fragile that it must be respected and loved,” she adds.
