Four Renaissance artworks stolen from museum in Sicily
Thieves broke into the Regional Museum in Messina, Sicily, stealing four works by Renaissance painter Antonello da Messina, including three panels from his polyptych. Italian authorities have opened an investigation.
Four artworks by Renaissance painter Antonello da Messina were stolen overnight on August 15 from the Regional Museum in Messina, Sicily. Among the stolen pieces are three panels taken from his renowned Polittico di San Gregorio, or Saint Gregory Polyptych.
The theft represents a significant loss for the city of Messina, as these works were part of the only pieces by the artist still held in his hometown. Antonello da Messina is considered one of the most important painters of the Italian Renaissance, and his surviving works are rare outside major art collections around the world.
Italian authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the theft and are working to recover the stolen artworks. Details about the progress of the investigation and any potential suspects have not yet been made public.
The incident has drawn attention to the security of art objects in Italian museums, which house numerous invaluable pieces of cultural heritage.
