Priceless Botticelli masterpiece discovered in residence in southern Italy
Missing for decades, a priceless masterpiece by Sandro Botticelli, a renowned 15th-century artist, has finally been discovered in a residence located in southern Italy
An artwork by the 15th-century artist Sandro Botticelli, which had been reported missing since the 1980s, has been located in a residence in southern Italy. The painting, featuring the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, was found in a home in Gragnano, near Naples, by the Carabinieri Cultural Heritage Protection Unit of Naples.
Italian authorities estimate that the painting by the artist known for "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera" is worth at least â¬100 million ($109 million). The work, measuring 58 x 80 centimeters (23 x 31 inches) and painted in tempera on wood, was commissioned for the Roman Catholic Church in 1470. It has been displayed in a church in the Neapolitan suburb of Santa Maria la Carità since the early 1900s, following the destruction of the original church it was given to.
The $40-million Botticelli painting revealed a hidden composition when an earthquake damaged the church in 1982. The parish entrusted the painting to the local Somma family for safekeeping and they are not under any criminal investigation, according to a spokesman for the Italian ministry of culture.
The family was initially monitored by local authorities to ensure the painting's preservation and were provided with advice on storage and maintenance. However, monitoring ceased in the 1990s, leading to the painting being listed as missing on the culture ministry's inventory.
The painting has been removed from the farmhouse near Naples and will be kept in a museum.
The Carabinieri for the Protection of Cultural Heritage frequently updates their list of stolen artwork. According to commander Massimiliano Croce, this summer they traced a painting to the Somma family, who had displayed it in their homes over the years.
The police collaborated with the local mayor and the current owners of the painting to facilitate its retrieval from the Somma home, where it was previously unknown to the public. According to Croce, the State's intervention will allow the painting to be exhibited once more. He also noted that this administrative approach saved the need for involving the Prosecutors Office or seizing the painting, thanks to the mayor's mediation.
"The family continues to hold the title of the work, which, however, will be preserved in a museum," Croce added.
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The painting of the Virgin Mary, with her blonde hair covered by a veil and holding a chubby baby Jesus on her lap, is in need of extensive restoration. According to the culture ministry, the painting resembles other depictions by Botticelli. It has suffered from missing paint and scratches, likely as a result of the earthquake in the 1980s and subsequent house moves.
The state ceased monitoring the painting for unknown reasons. According to Croce, the authorities hadn't checked on the private residence housing the Botticelli painting in over 50 years. Surprisingly, the authorities had seemingly forgotten about the painting since then.
It is believed to be one of the last paintings created by the master, who passed away in 1510. The painting is set to be displayed in a national museum in Naples after undergoing restoration, a process that is expected to take at least a year, as confirmed by the ministry.
The Somma family declined to comment when contacted by CNN.
