Discover 12 fascinating facts about the Swarovski Van Gogh Crystal Chair, a stunning fusion of art and luxury. about its unique design and craftsmanship. The chair was built by Italian artist Nicola Bolla and is bejewelled with Swarovski crystals made from polished, machine.
The Chair and Its Value: Priceless Beyond Money The chair, a creation by artist Nicola Bolla, was acquired in 2022 and inspired by the iconic chair painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1888, now housed in London's National Gallery. Bolla's version. The Van Gogh Chair -a shimmering, Swarovski-encrusted sculpture by Italian artist Nicola Bolla -was never meant to be sat on.
Yet in April 2025 a tourist did just that inside Verona's Palazzo Maffei, collapsing two legs and scattering crystals like fallen stars. The viral CCTV clip reignited a global conversation on selfie culture, museum ethics, and the real cost of disrespecting art. The chair is back on display.
The restored "Van Gogh" chair, made of hundreds of Swarovski crystals, after it was broken at the Palazzo Maffei in Verona, Italy. Palazzo Maffei Verona via Storyful. A selfish tourist in Italy sat on a chair honoring Van Gogh that was adorned with thousand of Swarovski crystals, crushing the precious work of art.
Tourist falls on and destroys crystal Van Gogh chair in viral museum mishap An attempt at the perfect photo left a Van Gogh Swarovski. A visitor taking a photo at the Palazzo Maffei crushed an Swarovski Crystal-covered sculpture by Nicola Bolla, known as Van Gogh Chair. A tourist was caught crushing a Swarovski crystal chair at Palazzo Maffei museum in Verona, with surveillance footage showing the culprit fleeing after damaging the art.
But here we are: a bedazzled chair inspired by Van Gogh's famous painting, encrusted with hundreds of Swarovski crystals, was crushed in Verona's Palazzo Maffei museum - not by an earthquake, not by a freak accident, but by a tourist with a weak squat game and a stronger-than-expected desire for a photo. So, how the hell did this even happen?
