Siracusa - Galleria Regionale / Museo Regionale d'Arte Medioevale e Moderna

The Palazzo Bellomo houses the Galleria Regionale, with post-ancient works of sculpture, painting and handicraft. Displayed on the ground floor are sculptures from the Early Christian period up to the beginning of the 16th century, including the "Madonna del Cardillo" by Domenico Gagini. 17th century coaches and carriages are exhibited in Room 4. The open staircase leads up to the top floor, the art gallery which contains important works from the 14th to 18th centuries. The prime item is the "Annunciation of Our Lady" by Antonello da Messina (1474). Measuring 1.80 by 1.80m/6 by 6ft, it hung in the Chiesa dell'Annunziata in the Palazzolo Acréide until 1907, when it was transferred to the Syracuse Regional Archeological Museum, and thence to its present home in 1940. Pictures accompanied by text explain how Luigi Cavenaghi restored the extensively damaged picture in 1914 and how experts proceeded to remove his overpainting in 1942.

Mention must also be made of the "Interment of St Lucia" by Michelangelo Caravaggio (1609, formerly housed in the church of Santa Lucia) and "Immacccolata e Santi" by the Flemish artist Guglielmo (Willelm) Borremans (1716), the book of sketches by Filippo Paladino (1544-1614), Nativity scenes and a large wooden model showing what Syracuse looked like in the 18th C.