Shocking footage shows moment 'disrespectful' tourist breaks 'Van Gogh' chair covered in crystals after sitting on it

An Italian museum has hit out at a pair of tourists who broke some artwork by sitting on it.

The couple in question were visiting Palazzo Maffei Verona when the incident occurred. CCTV footage shows them walking around the museum when they saw a piece of art called Van Gogh's chair — a Swarovski crystal-covered chair by Nicola Bolla resembling the one depicted in Van Gogh's infamous 1888 painting.

The chair was freestanding in one of the rooms of the museum, sparking the couple to pose by it (and on it) for photos.

Firstly, the woman appears to perch on it for a snap, only for the man to go and properly sit on the artwork. It then broke into pieces.

After their faux pas, the duo rush out of the room.

While I'm sure they hoped that that would be the end of the incident, the museum has since shared CCTV footage on its social media pages. It did, however, blur their faces.

See the footage here:

Alongside the video, the museum penned 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."

People online have since shared their thoughts on the matter, and it's safe to say that they're far from impressed.

The couple have been criticized online for their actions (Palazzo Maffei Verona)

One person said on Facebook: "This is crazy! I have seen that building and the artistic beauties it contains made generously available by the owner, so that others, everyone can enjoy... What a little brat !!! They should be identified and punished for the damage caused."

"They don't deserve anonymity," insisted another. A third person suggested: "I hope they pay for the damage and if it’s invaluable, they must at least give them a pretty fine."

Some people have speculated that the couple were American, but this has not been confirmed.

Fortunately the story has a somewhat happy ending, as the artwork has since been restored, New York Post reports.