9 cm. One side features the 'Ecce Homo' painting of Jesus with a crown of thorns on his head and a rope around his neck, depicting the moment Pontius Pilate hands Jesus over to the crowd for crucifixion. The other side features a painting of Saint Jerome the Penitent, whose face has been worn away by the owner's repeated devotional kissing.
The Italian government became aware of the work as it was about to go on auction and intervened, with Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli flying to New York this week to complete the deal with Sotheby's. The artwork will initially be displayed in the National Museum of Abruzzo in L'Aquila before being moved to other locations in Italy, with the goal of giving as many Italians as possible the chance to see it in person. The acquisition comes two weeks after Italy bought a rare portrait by baroque painter Caravaggio for 30 million euros (about $35 million) from a private collector.
It is true that there is a policy to step up these acquisitions.
That painting depicts Maffeo Barberini, a nobleman who later became Pope Urban VIII, and was part of a blockbuster show in the capital last year. The Caravaggio purchase was one of the largest state investments ever for a single artwork. Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli says acquisitions of artworks would be stepped up.
The previous owner of the Antonello da Messina painting and how many other artworks are being considered for purchase under the stepped-up policy are unknown, as are the specific other locations in Italy where the painting will be moved after L'Aquila.
We want people to understand how important it is for us to bring works of great artistic and public significance back to Italy and make them available to the world as well as to Italians.
Our pockets are not deep, as the Culture Ministry budget is not even 0.3 percent of the national budget, but it is large enough to purchase works of art.