Italian museum hit again as four Renaissance master's paintings stolen

A museum in Sicily has been targeted by thieves, with four Renaissance paintings by the master Antonello da Messina stolen. The incident occurred at the MuMe museum in Messina, the hometown of the 15th-century artist.

Thieves reportedly broke into the museum around 10 p.m. on April 15. They managed to steal three panels from the "San Gregorio Altarpiece," which originally comprised six panels. Although five panels remained, three were taken. The thieves also took a small double-sided painting, which was kept in a display case with a functioning security system.

This double-sided work, acquired by the Sicilian regional government in 2003, features the Madonna and Child with a Franciscan friar on one side and a Pietà on the other. The perpetrators initially took all five remaining panels of the altarpiece but abandoned two before fleeing.

Enzo Caruso, a city councilor responsible for culture, told Reuters that the entire city was "truly shocked" by the theft. He described the incident as a "terrible blow" to the city, emphasizing the significance of the stolen artworks.

“

The whole city is truly shocked. It is undoubtedly a terrible blow to the city.