French Impressionist painter, 1841–1919, celebrated for light and color
Thieves have taken three panels from Antonello da Messina's San Gregorio polyptych and a small double-sided devotional panel from the Regional Museum in Messina late on Aug. 15 during the city's Vara procession. Two panels were later abandoned near the museum. Authorities are investigating a likely commissioned theft and probing how alarms were circumvented.
Stolen artworks attributed to Antonello da Messina have been taken from the Regional Interdisciplinary Museum of Messina during a late Saturday burglary caught on Assumption Day in the city. Five wooden panels comprising the San Gregorio Polyptych and a small two-sided Virgin and Christ painting have been seized; two panels were left behind near the museum grounds. Authorities suspect the theft was ordered for high-value art trafficking.
The Villena Museum raid has seen thieves steal a large part of the Treasure of Villena, a Bronze Age collection dating to around 1000 BC. Alarms triggered early Friday morning, and the robbers departed within minutes. Authorities say the security systems were activated and that investigations are ongoing as police compile an inventory of the 50-plus gold objects.