Aren’t we all just looking for a reason to go on a city break at the weekend? Voilà: The Palazzo Maffei museum in Verona is always worth a visit. It is a place where art and culture merge in an unrivalled way.

Exhibitions and city trips often go hand in hand, but the real magic happens when art becomes an experience. Today, however, we would like to share a story that makes us think – a reminder of how fragile our art treasures are and why respect is essential when dealing with them.

Please don’t copy

How do you accidentally destroy a work of art? There are the careless moments when a stumble causes millions in damage. And those tourists who think they are artists – whether through photographs or objects – and overstep the boundaries of respect.

An incident at Palazzo Maffei in Verona shows how quickly a supposedly harmless photo can turn into a tragedy. Two tourists who wanted to take a photo of the famous ‘Van Gogh’ chair by artist Nicola Bolla in April this year decided to sit on the glittering crystal chair, even though there was a clear warning on it. The result: the chair broke under the weight of the man and the two fled without making themselves known.

The museum recently published a video from the surveillance cameras documenting the incident. It shows the tourists standing in front of the ornate seat, initially only pretending to sit down, but then the man takes the decisive step, and the chair breaks.

The decision to publicise the incident is not a reproach, but a warning. Palazzo Maffei is using the images to launch an awareness-raising campaign: art is fragile and deserves our respect. It should be loved and enjoyed, but always with care.

A message of appreciation

Director Vanessa Carlon would like to thank all the people who cross the threshold of Palazzo Maffei every day with passion and respect. Her message is clear: art is a treasure that we must preserve – for ourselves and for future generations.

Nicola Bolla: a master of crystal poetry

The artist Nicola Bolla, known for his poetic style that combines baroque extravagance and lively interpretations, created the ‘Van Gogh’ chair. The work, completely covered in Swarovski crystals, is a tribute to the Dutch master’s painting ‘Vincent’s Chair with Pipe’. Bolla, fascinated by Wunderkammer collections, combines irony, vanitas and quotations in his works, as in this piece, which alludes to fragile beauty and the transience of life.

Palazzo Maffei has restored the work at its own expense and filed a report against unknown persons with the Carabinieri. It is a reminder of how important it is to protect and respect art, because it is a treasure that we should preserve with love.

All images courtesy Palazzo Maffei; lead image by Massimo Ripani