‘Bring it back’: Sicilians say Antonello da Messina’s Ecce Homo belongs with them

Much of Messina's cultural memory was destroyed in a 1908 earthquake, but the Italian government has secured a masterpiece by the port city's greatest son

On 28 December 1908, the city of Messina was struck by what is still considered the deadliest natural catastrophe in modern European history. In just 37 seconds, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake killed half its population and levelled much of the city.

Along with homes, churches and monuments, invaluable historical sources and documents were lost, including works by Messina's greatest son, Antonello da Messina, the artist widely credited with transforming the course of Renaissance art.