Some of the only remaining works by Renaissance master Antonello da Messina were stolen from a museum in Sicily.
On Saturday, the city of Sicily was busy celebrating Ferragosto, a national holiday in Italy. At the same time, thieves broke into the Regional Museum of Messina, known locally as MuMem. What they took was the Polittico di San Gregorio, one of the most important works by da Messina. It is a six-piece altarpiece which considered an important part of Renaissance art history. The assailants disabled the museum security and carried away the three wooden panels that once belonged to the altarpiece. They also carried away another work by da Messina, a depiction of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. Two of the five altarpieces were later found abandoned near the museum by the authorities.
Also Read: Brazil Police Recovers Stolen Matisse Works, Arrests One
Marissa Mercurio, director of MuMem, said: “Its an extremely serious and significant loss. They have stolen works of enormous cultural, artistic, and symbolic importance, not only for Messina but for Sicily as a whole. All we can do now is hope they are recovered as soon as possible”.
The Polittico di San Gregorio was created in the 15th century for the Monastero di San Gregorio. The monastery was destroyed in a 1908 earthquake but the work survived and was moved to the museum. It remains the only work by da Messina still held in his home city.
