A Not So Perfect Picture

A man and a woman flee an Italian museum in a panicked speed walk.

Earlier at the Palazzo Maffei Museum, the two visitors had waited for guards to leave the room and started snapping pictures next to a crystalized chair. The man, who was squatting over the chair, accidentally sat onto the art piece. The chair, which was not designed for sitting on, broke under his weight.

Neither had come up to admit their fault. Although it was a silly accident, the art work will never have the same essence again. Even with all the repairs made.

The chair took inspiration from a Van Gogh painting, The Van Gogh Chair, but a far more sparkly version. The artwork was sequined with Swarovski crystals and created by Italian artist, Nicola Bolla. Instead of being offended, Bolla finds the incident completely absurd.

The security video went viral on social media. Many criticize the two peoples’ actions. This accident is one of many that show how much of an extent people would reach just to get a “cool” picture. Through close examination of the footage, the visitors still have not been identified. No one knows if they are some tourists visiting Italy for a couple days or locals.

I believe they should own up to their silly mistake. No matter how embarrassing that would be, it’s still the right thing to do in this situation. I hope the two can turn themselves in. The world needs more people who will admit their faults.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/17/world/europe/tourists-damage-van-gogh-chair-italy-museum.html