La véritable histoire du vol du Caravage par la mafia sicilienne derrière la série « Le Complot Caravaggio » sur Arte
The article details the infamous 1969 theft of Caravaggio's masterpiece, "Natività con i santi Lorenzo e Francesco d'Assisi" (The Nativity with Saint Francis and Saint Lawrence), from the Oratory of San Lorenzo in Palermo, Sicily. The painting, a large-scale work measuring three by two meters, was expertly cut from its frame and has never been recovered, remaining second on the FBI's Top Ten Art Crimes list. The theft is widely attributed to the Sicilian Mafia, with theories suggesting it was stolen to order or for use in secret mafia gatherings.
The case remains a potent symbol of the vulnerability of cultural heritage to organized crime and institutional neglect. The article connects the historical event to a new television series, "Le Complot Caravaggio," highlighting the enduring public fascination with the crime and the painting's fate. The theft underscores ongoing challenges in art security and the complex, often tragic, legacy of Caravaggio himself, who painted the work while a fugitive.