Close-up of one of the panels in the Polyptych of St. Gregory painted by Antonello da Messina in 1473. Mondadori Portfolio

Four paintings of "extraordinary value" which date back to the Renaissance have been stolen from a museum late Saturday in Sicily, Italy.

Three panels of the San Gregorio Polyptych and a double-sided panel of The Madonna and Child, all attributed to Antonello da Messina dating back to the 15th century, were stolen from the Regional Interdisciplinary Museum of Messina, according to Italy's Ministry of Culture.

The polyptych, which is a painting divided in various panels, was originally composed of at least five different sections and had been damaged after an earthquake in 1908. The painting of The Madonna and Child is listed in the Christie's auctioneer website as having sold for more than $300,000 in 2003.

Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli expressed his "dismay and regret" at the theft and said the pieces had "extraordinary value for our cultural heritage."

The mayor of Messina called the theft a "heinous criminal act," and said he was "deeply outraged" by the act, in particular because it took place during the city's traditional celebrations honoring the Virgin Mary.

"We hope that those responsible will be identified and that our artworks will be returned home," Federico Basile said in a social media post. "Messina will not let its history be stolen."

The theft comes just months after the Italian state bought a work called "Ecce Homo" by Antonello da Messina at a New York auction for nearly $15 million.

Source