A double-sided panel painting by Renaissance master Antonello da Messina, titled 'Ecce Homo and Saint Jerome in the Desert,' was withdrawn from Sotheby's Old Masters auction just days before its scheduled sale. The Italian Ministry of Culture purchased the work directly for $14.9 million, preventing it from going to public auction where it was estimated to fetch $10–15 million.
The acquisition is significant because the painting was the last known work by Antonello da Messina remaining in private hands, with only about 40 of his paintings known to exist. Its pre-emptive purchase by the state ensures this important Renaissance devotional object remains in Italy's public cultural heritage, rather than potentially leaving the country or entering a private collection abroad. The work's journey through Spanish collections and notable dealers like Wildenstein and Co. underscores its market history and value.