Thieves steal 4 Renaissance artworks worth millions in Sicilian museum robbery
Thieves stole four works attributed to Renaissance painter Antonello da Messina worth millions of euros from the regional museum in the city of Messina in Sicily while crowds gathered across town for the traditional Assumption holiday celebrations, cultural officials and Italian media said on Sunday. The thieves bypassed alarm and security systems on Saturday evening at the MuMe museum, making…
Four Renaissance paintings attributed to the late 15th-century artist Antonello da Messina were stolen from a museum in Messina, Sicily, during festivities for the festival of the Assumption. The artworks, which included three panels of the San Gregorio Polyptych and a double-sided panel of the Virgin Mary and the dead Christ, were valued at an estimated €70 million to €80 million (US$81 million to US$92 million).
The thieves bypassed the museum's security systems while crowds celebrated outside. Art expert Alberto Fiz expressed devastation over the loss of these significant works, describing them as central to the region's heritage and identity. Messina's culture official, Enzo Caruso, called the theft a "disaster," emphasizing the loss of "the very essence of the greatest artist of the European Renaissance."
Art-crime analyst Lynda Albertson noted the theft's ease due to the artwork's recognizability, suggesting that illicit activities may stem from the stolen pieces.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- Italy: Four Renaissance artworks stolen from Messina museum in Sicily france24.com
- Renaissance paintings by Antonello da Messina stolen from Sicilian museum lemonde.fr
- Thieves bypass security to steal four Renaissance artworks from Sicily museum euronews.com
- Four prized Renaissance works stolen from museum in Sicily nst.com.my
- €80m Renaissance masterpieces stolen from Sicily museum despite working alarms and guards on duty euroweeklynews.com
- Four Renaissance paintings stolen from museum in Italy cbsnews.com
- Thieves steal Renaissance artworks in museum heist during Italian holiday aljazeera.com
- Four Renaissance masterpieces stolen from Sicily museum in art heist timesofindia.indiatimes.com
