Italy's Culture Ministry Mistakenly Allows Export of 14th-Century Masterpiece

A 14th-century panel painting by the Master of the Baptistery of Parma was mistakenly classified as a 19th-century work and allowed to leave Italy. The tempera-on-wood Madonna and Child was purchased at auction in 2020 by a Swiss company for €38,000. The Ministry of Culture, then led by Dario Franceschini, issued an export certificate on July 3, 2020, after deeming it a modest work of local devotional interest. The date on the back was misread as 1850 instead of 1350. In 2022, restoration revealed the true date. Christie's later attributed it to the Master of the Baptistery of Parma (active early 14th century) and estimated its value at £400,000–500,000. The ministry, under Gennaro Sangiuliano, attempted to annul the export authorization in March 2023, claiming false information. The buyer challenged this at the Regional Administrative Tribunal of Lazio, winning in 2025. The Council of State upheld that decision in May 2026, citing a Constitutional Court ruling limiting revocation of export certificates to 12 months. The work is now permanently lost to Italy.