Four Renaissance artworks of 'extraordinary value' stolen from Sicily museum

Four Renaissance artworks of "extraordinary value," attributed to the Sicilian painter Antonello da Messina, have been stolen from the Regional Museum of Messina (MuMe) in Sicily. The theft occurred Saturday night, during local celebrations and a traditional procession, as criminals bypassed the museum's security systems.

The stolen pieces include three of the five surviving panels from the "Polyptych of San Gregorio," dated 1473, and a double-sided panel featuring the Virgin Mary and a depiction of Christ dead in a Pietà. Art expert Alberto Fiz estimates the combined value of the stolen works to be between 70 and 80 million euros.

Marisa Mercurio, director of the Regional Museum of Messina, expressed devastation, calling the loss "enormous" for the museum, the city, and the art world. Authorities have launched an investigation, analyzing security footage and alarm systems to reconstruct the events and identify the perpetrators. The possibility of the theft being intended for the black market is being considered.

Works of this significance, painted on wood panels, are difficult to transport and sell due to their international recognition. Lynda Albertson, a specialist in art crime, warned that such pieces can be used as collateral among criminals or passed between criminal organizations. The theft follows Italy's recent acquisition of another Antonello da Messina work, "Ecce Homo," for approximately $15 million at a Sotheby's auction in New York.