Italian Government Buys Renaissance Masterpiece "Ecce Homo" for 21.7 Billion Won

Italian Government Moves to Purchase Before Sotheby's Auction
Work by Renaissance Master Antonello da Messina
About Half of Antonello's Rare Works Owned by Government

The Italian government has purchased the 15th-century Renaissance master Antonello da Messina's painting "Ecce Homo" for 14.9 million dollars (about 21.7 billion won).

Antonello da Messina's painting 'Ecce Homo'. Sotheby's

According to Yonhap News, on the 10th (local time), the Italian Ministry of Culture stated that this was an "achievement that expanded Italy's cultural heritage." The work was originally scheduled to be auctioned at Sotheby's in New York, United States, but it is reported that the Italian government moved first to secure it.

"Ecce Homo" is the phrase spoken in the New Testament by the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, who pointed to Jesus wearing a crown of thorns, and it symbolizes the suffering life of Jesus. This double-sided panel painting features, on each side, an image of Jesus Christ wearing a crown of thorns and an image of Saint Jerome in penitence.

The Italian painter Antonello da Messina is regarded as one of the greatest masters of his time, who, together with Piero della Francesca and Giovanni Bellini, brought Early Renaissance art to its peak. His works are extremely rare. Only about 40 of his works are known to survive, and the Italian government owns roughly half of them. This painting was reportedly the only work that had remained in private hands.

The venue where the work will be exhibited has not yet been decided, but in the art world, locations such as the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, the Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice, and the Museo di Capodimonte in Naples are being mentioned. Before it appeared at Sotheby's auction, it was also reportedly invited to a special Antonello da Messina exhibition to be held in 2028 at the Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid, Spain.

Christopher Apostle, Head of Old Master Paintings at Sotheby's, said, "This is an extraordinary work by Antonello da Messina, filled with an indescribable power. Unlike many painters of his time, Antonello captures the humanity of Christ in this painting." He added, "It was an honor to be able to share this work with visitors in the Sotheby's galleries before it returned to Italy."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.