Four Renaissance artworks attributed to the Sicilian painter Antonello da Messina were stolen from the MuMe museum in Messina, Sicily, during the Italian Ferragosto holiday, officials confirmed Sunday. The theft occurred Saturday evening when thieves circumvented the museum's alarm and security systems.
Stolen items include three panels from the San Gregorio Polyptych, created in 1473, and a double-sided panel depicting the Virgin Mary and the dead Christ. The latter was removed from an armored display case.
MuMe director Marisa Mercurio described the theft as a "tremendous loss" for the museum, the city, and the art world, emphasizing the works' significance to regional identity and cultural heritage. Messina's top culture official, Enzo Caruso, called the event a "disaster" and stated that "Messina without Antonello is deprived of the very essence of the greatest artist of the European Renaissance."
International interest in Antonello da Messina has grown recently, particularly after the Italian Culture Ministry acquired his painting "Ecce Homo" for $14.9 million earlier this year. Art-crime analysts note that the high profile of Antonello's works makes them difficult to sell through legitimate channels. Lynda Albertson, chief executive of the ARCA art crimes research association, suggested that ordinary thieves may struggle to offload such recognizable pieces, as they often become collateral in other illicit activities.
The museum was closed Sunday while investigators processed the scene. The theft took place during the height of the Italian summer holiday season. This incident follows a recent recovery of stolen artworks by Renoir, Cézanne, and Matisse in northern Italy, where five individuals were detained in connection with a March theft.