Italian Culture Minister Vittorio Sgarbi steps down amidst accusations of stolen artwork

Italian junior culture minister Vittorio Sgarbi has resigned following allegations of laundering stolen goods. Sgarbi denies the accusations but stepped down to avoid a conflict of interest. Prosecutors are currently investigating claims that Sgarbi, a well-known art critic, stole and altered a 17th-Century painting titled "The Capture of Saint Peter." The artwork was reported stolen in 2013 and was previously exhibited in a castle in Piedmont, northern Italy. Sgarbi is accused of modifying the painting by adding a candle to conceal its origins. He claims to have found the original artwork while restoring a villa owned by his mother more than 20 years ago, stating that the stolen painting was a mere copy. These allegations were uncovered by an investigation on the Italian TV broadcaster Rai's program called Report. The owner of the castle, who reported the theft, revealed that the painting was cut out of its frame in 2013 and mentioned that a friend of Sgarbi had shown interest in purchasing it. Further evidence discovered during the investigation revealed that a damaged painting resembling "The Capture of Saint Peter" had been passed on to a restorer by another friend of Sgarbi. This painting had a hole matching the shape of where the canvas was cut from the Piedmont castle frame. When Sgarbi displayed the restored artwork in 2021, it featured the addition of the candle in the top corner. In addition to these accusations, Sgarbi is also facing charges regarding another work, a painting attributed to the French artist Valentin de Boulogne, which was seized by police in Montecarlo. He is being investigated for illegally exporting the painting, but he insists that it is a copy and does not belong to him.