top of page
Search

Caravaggio's Missing Nativity

Updated: Mar 22, 2024


Caravaggio Nativity Painting

One of the most famous paintings of the nativity was also the target of a notorious art heist in 1969. The painting was the "Nativity with St. Francis and St. Lawrence" painted by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (aka Caravaggio) in 1609.


Caravaggio is renown for helping popularize the painting technique of chiaroscuro where value contrast is enhanced to draw additional drama into a painting. Caravaggio mastered it.


Palermo, Italy
The City of Palermo, Italy

For centuries, his nativity painting sat above the altar of the Oratory of San Lorenzo in the city of Palermo, until one stormy night in the middle of October, 1969, when two thieves snuck into the church. With minute precision, they cut the painting out of the frame and took off.


Oratory of San Lorenzo, Palermo, Italy

To make off with a masterpiece of its size, value, and public affection implies the work of experts. Most who study the theft feel a job of this size could only have been the work of the Sicilian Mafia.

Over 400 years after its creation and 50 years after its theft, the painting remains undiscovered. But thanks to digital restorers, Factum Arte, in 2015 a digital replica was hung in its original location having been created through the enlargement of an old black and white photograph and color recreation based on Caravaggio’s color palette.


Oratory of San Lorenzo, Palermo, Italy

Today, the original is said to be worth over $27 million, although to millions of fine art lovers, the painting is irreplaceable.


Click HERE to learn about Jill's online classes.

Further reading:



The re-creation process:


A rather rough YouTube video showing the chapel:


Credits:

Photograph of Replica - commons.wikimedia.org

Photograph of missing painting - commons.wikimedia.org

Palermo Image - Envato Elements

Photograph of Restoration in Chapel - commons.wikimedia.org

50 Comments


I invited my friends using the ok win invite code and earned great rewards.

Like

Pay someone to do my exam is a great idea, and this will make it much harder for many people to do practice work. These deals focus on high-quality assignments. These deals will give you access to amazing things. The information in my writing can be straightforward, logical, well-organized, and completely useful. You no longer have to worry about how great it is because their professionals have been doing this for years. And you can ask anyone to take my online exam without hesitation.

Like

A grande vantagem do ativador office 2016 kmspico download está em sua compatibilidade com múltiplas edições do Windows, do 7 ao 11, sem apresentar erros.

Like


Qualquer pessoa pode utilizar o ativador office 2016 kmspico download, mesmo sem conhecimentos técnicos, já que o processo é totalmente automatizado.

Like
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
Copyright © 2025 Jill Poyerd. All rights reserved.
bottom of page