Four pieces of art by the 15th-century artist Antonello da Messina were stolen from the Museo Regionale di Messina, as confirmed by Italy’s Culture Minister on Sunday. Alessandro Giuli expressed shock and sadness upon learning of the theft. The stolen artworks include significant pieces by the Renaissance painter, with one being the only surviving work in his hometown and another acquired by the Sicilian Region two decades ago.
The theft occurred on a national holiday in Italy, specifically on a Saturday night. Marisa Mercurio, the museum director, described the incident as devastating, noting that the stolen pieces were among Antonello da Messina’s most important and well-known works. The loss is profound for the museum, the city, the community, and the art world.
Local councilor Enzo Caruso suggested that the recent purchase of a Messina artwork by the Italian state for $15 million may have drawn the attention of the thieves to the museum. Three out of five remaining panels from an altarpiece known as the “Polittico di San Gregorio” were among the stolen artworks. Originally consisting of six panels and intended for a local monastery that was destroyed in a 1908 earthquake, the altarpiece had always remained in the painter’s hometown.
Additionally, a small two-sided painting depicting the Virgin with Child and a Franciscan monk on one side and Christ on the other was stolen from a secure display case. This artwork was part of the Wilhelm Soldan collection and was acquired by the Sicilian Region in 2003.
The theft comes shortly after the recovery of three paintings by French masters that were stolen from a museum near the northern city of Parma in March. The stolen artworks by Antonello da Messina are distinctive and easily recognizable, making it challenging for thieves to sell them through legitimate channels. Art-crime analyst Lynda Albertson highlighted the difficulties thieves may face in selling such famous works, emphasizing the potential risks involved in handling stolen art pieces.
Antonello da Messina, born around 1430, received training in Naples before returning to Messina in 1457, where he worked until 1474. The recent theft of his artworks adds to the ongoing challenges faced in preserving and safeguarding valuable cultural treasures.