News

UNESCO Director-General in Ukraine: Culture and Tourism at the Heart of Recovery

UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany made his first official visit to Ukraine since taking office, with a two-day mission to Kyiv focused on strengthening cooperation with Ukrainian authorities and protecting the country’s cultural heritage....
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Average spending on culture by Italian households is rising

Italian households’ spending on cultural activities continues to rise and will reach an average of 108 euros per month in 2026, compared to 94 euros in 2025. This is according tothe Observatory on Cultural Experiences in Italy, conducted by Imp...
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Farewell to Giancarlo Olgiati, one of Switzerland's most prominent art collectors

He passed away during the night between Thursday and Friday, at the age of 88, attorney Giancarlo Olgiati, a collector and central figure in the cultural life of the Canton of Ticino, and—together with his wife Danna—the founder of the Giancarlo and ...
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CNR, theft of the "Antonello" from Messina: the 2018 forensic profile could prove invaluable if the artwork is recovered

The recent theft of works by Antonello da Messina from the “Accascina” Regional Museum in Messina highlights just how important it is to have thorough scientific documentation in place before a work is stolen or lost. In 2018, an extensiv...
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France: Extreme Heat Takes a Toll on Monet's Garden in Giverny—Damage Reported

The successive heat waves that have swept through France this summer are also threatening one of the places most closely associated withImpressionist art: Claude Monet’s gardens in Giverny, Normandy. The exceptionally high temperatures—which al...
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Germany: Berlin's Russian House at the Center of the Debate—Should It Be Closed or Not?

The Russisches Haus in Berlin—or the Russian House of Science and Culture (Russisches Haus der Wissenschaft und Kultur)—is currently at the center of a heated political debate in Germany: The building at Friedrichstraße 176–179, in the heart o...
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Brazil: Eight Matisse Engravings Stolen from the São Paulo Library Have Been Recovered

In Brazil, eight valuable engravings by Henri Matisse (Le Cateau-Cambrésis, 1869 – Cimiez, 1954) from the Jazz series—stolen in December 2025 from the Mário de Andrade Library in São Paulo—have been recovered by the S&atild...
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Germany: More Than 1,000 Historic Buildings Have Been Lost in Two Years

Germany lost at least 1,077 historic buildings in 2024 and 2025. This is the most alarming figure contained in the second edition of the *Schwarzbuch der Denkmalpflege – Ein Verzeichnis verlorener Geschichte* ( “Black Book of Monument Pre...
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Appia Antica Low-Traffic Zone (ZTLT): Trial of Electronic Checkpoints Begins on September 19

Starting September 19, 2026, a pilot program will begin for electronic access control gates in the new “Appia Antica” Territorial Limited Traffic Zone (ZTLT). The first phase will be a pre-operational phase, during which the checkpoints w...
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Massa: Mr. Savethewall’s mural has been in storage for months; the work’s future remains uncertain

Just one year after its completion, the future of the mural by Pierpaolo Perretta—known by his artist name Mr. Savethewall—commissioned by the City of Massa, is once again at the center of public debate because the work, created on modular concrete b...
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AStArte: More Security and Staff in Sicilian Museums

The National Association of Art Historians—AStArte— has once again spoken out on the situation of Sicilian cultural heritage, calling on the Region to strengthen the ranks of specialized professionals within its workforce and to address the security ...
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Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau on a private visit to the Museum of San Marco in Florence

During their recent stay in Italy, Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau chose the Museo di San Marco in Florence for a strictly private visit. The American singer andthe former Canadian prime minister thus had the opportunity to explore up close one of the ...
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Antonello da Messina’s *Ecce Homo*, purchased by the government, has been loaned to the CL Meeting

It has barely arrived, and already it must leave: Antonello da Messina’s*Ecce Homo*, purchased by the Italian government last February for $14.9 million (approximately 12.6 million euros), and added to the exhibition at the MuNDA —the National ...
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Antonello's Theft: Mafia Links and Internal Complicity Not Ruled Out. Report About the Van Denied

The Messina Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an intensive investigation following the theft of the panels by Antonello da Messina. The current tally from the heist indicates that four works remain missing out of the six that were initial...
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Illegal Excavations in Crimea: Ukraine Investigates Two Russian Archaeologists

In Ukraine, the Prosecutor’s Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol has formally opened an investigation into alleged illegal activities carried out in the field of archaeology within the territory of the peninsu...
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What's the point of stealing a masterpiece by Antonello da Messina? Possible theories

The central question, following the theft of Antonello da Messina’s panels from the “Maria Accascina” Regional Museum in Messina, concerns the possible motive: why steal such famous, easily recognizable works? Four panels by Antonello da ...
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