Newly Discovered Antonello da Messina Panel to be Auctioned in Paris, Sparking Sicilian Acquisition Interest

Two significant artworks will be auctioned on June 16, 2026, at the Ader auction house in Paris. The works originate from an anonymous collector who purchased them in France during the 1970s and 1980s. One piece is an early painting by Peter Paul Rubens titled 'La battaglia delle Amazzoni,' dated around 1603 and previously featured in a 2005 exhibition at London's National Gallery curated by David Jaffé. The second work is a newly discovered small wooden panel measuring 30 by 21.5 centimeters, depicting the face of a beardless young man. This panel has been attributed by experts to the Renaissance master Antonello da Messina. The attribution was first proposed by Michel Laclotte, former director of the Louvre and founder of the Musée d'Orsay, and later supported by Mauro Lucco, a professor of art history at the University of Bologna. Lucco suggests the panel likely originated in Sicily around 1476-1477 and may have been part of a gonfalone, a processional banner. The artwork underwent restoration by Agnès Malpel, revealing traces of gold and a monastic garment indicating the subject is a saint. The auction estimate for the panel is set between 1 and 2 million euros. Following the sale, political figures in Sicily have expressed interest in acquiring the work. Alessandro Russo, a city councilor in Messina, has proposed that the Sicilian Region negotiate with the auction house to purchase the panel before the auction, arguing for its return to Sicily. The region last acquired a work by Antonello da Messina in 2003 from a Christie's auction in London, which is now displayed at the Museo regionale Accascina in Messina. This discovery follows recent attention on another Antonello work, an 'Ecce Homo' purchased by the Italian state for approximately 15 million dollars, currently touring Italy. The upcoming auction and potential acquisition have generated significant discussion among art historians and regional authorities.