Topics: Art, News, Social Media, Viral, World News
People are all saying the same thing about a couple who broke a piece of artwork in an Italian museum.
The pair of tourists have gone viral for all the wrong reasons after Palazzo Maffei Verona shared security footage of the moment they both sat on a chair that was clearly part of an exhibition for photos.
The artwork in question was created by Nicola Bolla and consists of a crystal-covered chair resembling the one depicted in Van Gogh's 1888 painting.
While the museum has since shared the shocking footage to its social media pages, it has not identified the couple who broke the chair. Instead, it said that sharing the video was an 'opportunity to reflect and raise public awareness'.
Advert
Palazzo Maffei Verona said in a statement: "An irresponsible gesture at Palazzo Maffei. What you have just seen is not a joke, but an episode that actually happened in the rooms of Palazzo Maffei.
"Superficial and disrespectful behavior has put the integrity of a work of art at risk: the 'Van Gogh' chair by the artist Nicola Bolla was damaged by some visitors, who, waiting for the security guards to leave, chose to take an 'effective' photo, ignoring every rule of respect towards art and cultural heritage.
"We decided not to limit ourselves to a simple report of the incident. We want to transform this episode into an opportunity to reflect and raise public awareness: art must be admired, experienced, but above all respected. Always."
The video has sparked a huge response on social media, with a lot of people left saying the same thing...
"I hope they pay for the damage and if it’s invaluable, they must at least give them a pretty fine," one person wrote.
"They should be identified and punished for the damage caused," suggested another.
Echoing similar sentiments, somebody else penned: "I hope and asked for the damage to the restoration."
A different person questioned: "Have those responsible been charged? Did they pay for the damage?"
Away from calling for the couple to be forced to pay up, others argued that the artwork should have had ropes around it to make it clearer that it wasn't made for sitting on.
It's believed that the chair has since been restored. It's unknown how much it cost to do so, though.
UNILAD have approached the Italian museum for comment on this and for clarification on charges or fines the couple might now face.
