An Italian museum is speaking out after a pair of tourists damaged an art installation by mistaking it for a photo prop.

The incident took place at Palazzo Maffei in Verona, where surveillance footage captured the couple exploring the gallery before finding a sculpture titled Van Gogh’s Chair. The piece, created by Nicola Bolla, is a shimmering Swarovski crystal-covered chair inspired by the iconic seat featured in Vincent van Gogh’s 1888 painting.

The artwork was displayed without barriers, but it wasn’t meant for sitting. The woman first leaned on the chair for a picture, followed by the man, who sat down fully. That’s when the structure gave way, breaking apart.

Moments later, the pair hurried out of the room.

Hoping to deter similar behavior, the museum released the footage on its social channels. While the video blurs the couple’s faces, the message was clear: art is not a backdrop for selfies.

They also released the following 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.”