Four Antonello da Messina masterpieces stolen from Sicilian Museum

The theft reportedly took place on Saturday evening at the Regional Museum of Messina, with the criminals exploiting the large crowds and security challenges surrounding Italy’s Ferragosto

Four prized works by renowned 15th-century Italian painter Antonello da Messina have been stolen from a museum in Messina, Sicily, in what officials have described as a devastating cultural loss.

The theft reportedly took place on Saturday evening at the Regional Museum of Messina, with the criminals exploiting the large crowds and security challenges surrounding Italy’s Ferragosto national holiday and the city’s La Vara religious celebrations.

According to reports, the thieves managed to bypass the museum’s security system before breaking into a protected display case and removing four wooden panels painted by Antonello da Messina, one of the most influential artists of the Italian Renaissance.

Among the stolen pieces are three of the five surviving panels from the celebrated Polyptych of St Gregory, regarded as one of Antonello’s most significant works. The paintings are considered exceptionally valuable because of their rarity and historical importance.

Museum director Marisa Mercuri described the incident as a “very serious and significant loss”, stressing that the works hold immeasurable cultural, artistic and symbolic value not only for Messina but for Sicily as a whole.

Authorities are investigating the theft and efforts are underway to locate the missing masterpieces and recover them as quickly as possible. The disappearance has raised fresh concerns over the protection of priceless cultural heritage and security at museums housing historic works of art.