Four Antonello da Messina paintings stolen from Messina regional museum
Four works by the 15th-century painter Antonello da Messina were taken from the Museo Regionale di Messina during the night of August 15.
During the night of August 15, burglars entered the Museo Regionale di Messina and stole four artworks by Renaissance master Antonello da Messina. The loot included three of the five remaining panels of the San Gregorio polyptych, which had survived the 1908 earthquake that destroyed its original monastery and was the sole work of the artist to remain in Messina. A fourth piece, a small two-sided painting of the Virgin and Child on one side and a Franciscan monk with Christ on the other, was taken from a secure case; it had entered the museum's collection after being purchased from Christie's in 2003 as part of the Wilhelm Soldan collection.
Museum representatives said they could not provide additional information. The theft occurred on a national holiday, coinciding with a recent police success in retrieving three stolen French paintings near Parma. Authorities have not released details about the suspects or recovery efforts.
Why it matters
The theft removes rare Antonello da Messina works from the only museum in his birthplace, a loss for cultural heritage.
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