The Italian Ministry of Culture purchased the painting by Antonello da Messina for $14.9 million dollars, exercising the right of first refusal.
The work entitled “Ecce Homo; St. Jerome in repentance” was to become one of the central lots of the auction “Masters of Painting”, planned in New York, writes portal Artmajeur.com. However, after the intervention of the Italian authorities, the work was withdrawn from the sale.
The painting is a double-sided panel: on one side depicts St. Jerome in a secluded landscape, on the other – the image of Christ in the scene of Ecce Homo. This format is extremely rare and makes the work particularly valuable to art historians.
Antonello da Messina was one of the key masters of the early Renaissance, known for his subtle work with light and innovative use of oil technique. His works hardly ever appear on the open market, as most are kept in museum collections.
Experts estimate the value of the work to be between 10 and 15 million dollars. Using the statutory mechanism for the protection of cultural heritage, Italy ensured the return of the painting to the national collection. It is expected that in the future the work will be exhibited in one of the country’s state museums.
