A burglary that occurred on Saturday night in the Regional Interdisciplinary Museum of Messina has stolen four invaluable Renaissance paintings, all attributed to 15th‑century Italian master Antonello da Messina. Three panels of the monastery’s San Gregorio Polyptych, painted in 1473, were taken together with a double‑sided panel showing the Madonna with Child and Christ in Pietà.
Police say the thieves gained access to the secure gallery without triggering alarms, raising questions about staff protocols and security systems. Initial evidence points to a black‑market art‑theft ring that likely ordered the coup.
The Polyptych panels, surviving in five parts today, depict the Virgin Mary holding infant Jesus, flanked by St Gregory, St Benedict and several angels. The double‑sided Madonna was deliberately small, suggesting it had been used for private devotion.
Regional director Marisa Mercurio described the incident as “a great loss for the museum, the city, the community and the art world”. Mayor Federico Basile said the city’s heritage had been “deeply outraged” and that Messina would not let its history be stolen.
This theft comes on the heels of a recent recovery of works from a Parma museum and the infamous Louvre daylight burglary that saw €88 m of historical jewellery stolen. European museums are now under increased scrutiny to prevent the loss of priceless cultural treasures.
