For the second time in a month, Italy has spent millions to buy a historic painting as it moves to protect its national art heritage. The government has acquired a devotional painting of early Renaissance painter Antonello da Messina for €12.6 million euros.
Italy has moved again to protect and preserve ownership of a work deemed of national treasure by acquiring a Renaissance period artwork for €12.6 million.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
The government has spent the money on a devotional painting by Antonello da Messina that was set for auction at Sotheby's in New York.
“Ecce Uomo” depicts Jesus with a crown of thorns on his head and a rope around his neck in the moment when Pontius Pilate hands him over to the angry crowd to take him to be crucified.
The acquisition comes a little over two weeks after Italy bought a rare portrait by baroque painter Caravaggio for €30 million euros, one of the largest state investments ever for a single artwork.
The painting depicts Maffeo Barberini, a nobleman who later became Pope Urban VIII.
It is a devotional painting on a wooden panel measuring 20.3 cm by 14.9. On one side is the “Ecce Homo” and on the other St. Jerome the Penitent.
Italy’s Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli said people should expect some other important acquisitions and international operations in the near future.
“We want people to understand how important it is for us to bring works of great artistic and public significance back to Italy.”
The artwork was carried by its owner in a leather bag for years and pulled out to be used in prayer. The face of Saint Jerome has been worn away by the owner’s repeated devotional kissing.
“St. Jerome has been completely rubbed off,” noted Federica Zalabra, director of the National Museum of Abruzzo, the first museum that will display the painting, saying one of the early owners “would kiss it" and "having direct contact with this work of art in that way, by kissing it and touching it, has caused damage.”
The panel dates from around 1470.
“I have to say the Ministry of Culture is putting a lot of effort into expanding the nation’s art patrimony,” said Massimo Osanna, the director general of Italy’s museums.
“One might ask why we buy, because what we buy are certainly unique pieces, such as Antonello or Caravaggio’s Maffeo Barberini, which are returning home,” Osanna added.
The artwork will initially be displayed in the National Museum of Abruzzo in L’Aquila before being moved to other locations across the country to give as many people as possible the chance to see it in person.
