- Four artworks were stolen from a museum in Messina
- The stolen pieces are worth millions of euros
- Italian authorities are investigating the theft
Four artworks attributed to Renaissance master Antonello da Messina have been stolen from a museum in his hometown of Messina, Sicily, in a theft estimated to involve works worth tens of millions of euros.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the paintings were taken from the MuMe regional museum on Saturday night while the city was hosting celebrations for the Ferragosto holiday, Italian cultural officials and media reported.
EDITOR’S PICK
- Osun Election: INEC Reports 94.5% Polling Units Opened on Time
- THEDSF Visits Alara of Ilara Kingdom, Seeks Royal Support for Youth Mobilisation
- Super Falcons Miss Women’s World Cup for First Time
The stolen pieces include three of the five surviving panels of the San Gregorio Polyptych, created in 1473, as well as a double-sided work showing the Virgin Mary and the dead Christ in a Pietà scene.
According to LaPresse, the thieves managed to overcome the museum’s security measures and remove the artworks. They took all five panels of the polyptych from its frame but abandoned two of them before escaping.
Art expert Alberto Fiz estimated that the stolen works could be worth between €70 million and €80 million.
MuMe Director Marisa Mercurio expressed shock over the incident, describing the stolen pieces as among Antonello’s most significant and recognisable works.
She said the theft occurred shortly before 10 p.m., despite the museum’s alarms reportedly functioning and security personnel being present.
Messina’s culture councillor, Enzo Caruso, described the incident as a major disaster for the city and called for the immediate recovery of the paintings.
He stressed Antonello’s importance to Messina’s cultural identity, saying the city would be severely diminished without works by one of the most celebrated artists of the European Renaissance.
Art-crime specialist Lynda Albertson noted that the international fame of the paintings could make them difficult to sell through legitimate art channels. She said highly recognisable stolen artworks can instead circulate within criminal networks or be used as collateral in other illegal activities.
The museum remained closed on Sunday as investigators examined the scene and collected evidence. The Carabinieri are investigating the circumstances surrounding the theft.
The incident occurred during Ferragosto, one of Italy’s busiest summer holiday periods. In Messina, celebrations included a major religious procession that ended with prayers and a blessing at Piazza Duomo around the time of the theft.
The robbery comes shortly after Italian police recovered three paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse that had been stolen from the Magnani Rocca Foundation in Parma. The recovered works were valued at about €10 million, with five suspects detained over the March theft.
FURTHER READING
