Why Has Italian Junior Culture Minister Vittorio Sgarbi Resigned?

Italian junior culture minister Vittorio Sgarbi has resigned after allegations of laundering stolen goods and accepting payments for attending art events and lectures, which he said were part of his unofficial duties as an art critic. However, the antitrust authority deemed these activities to represent a conflict of interest.

The facts

Vittorio Sgarbi resigned on February 2, 2024, after he was put under investigation for allegedly laundering a stolen painting from the 17th century, which he denied and claimed to have bought legally.

In 2013, the owner of a castle in Italy’s northern Piedmont region reported the theft of “The Capture of Saint Peter,” a Renaissance artwork influenced by Caravaggio and created by Rutilio Manetti. The painting had been on display at the castle.

Interestingly, it reappeared in a 2021 exhibition organised by Sgarbi. Although the painting was nearly identical to the stolen one, a candle had been added to the top-left corner of the canvas.

During a lecture on Michelangelo in Milan, Sgarbi, who serves as both a parliamentarian and a TV personality, declared his resignation. He expressed a desire to safeguard his independence rather than comply with the directives of the antitrust authority.

The arguments

Vittorio Sgarbi, 71, has claimed innocent ever since his ‘illicit’ behaviour was exposed in the news. He even criticised his boss, Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano, for not supporting him against the allegations.

Sgarbi’s resignation comes after weeks of controversy and pressure, as he was also involved in a defamation case with former Rome mayor Virginia Raggi.

On the issue of a painting theft, what if it is just a coincidence that Sgarbi acquired a similar painting to the 2013 stolen art from an unrelated source? Let’s look at it this way too, how brazen could he be to display a stolen art with just a rose making the difference?

We will never know until the investigations are over.

Sgarbi has also had quite an encounter in his quest to declare himself innocent of all allegations. He had a foul-mouthed outburst against journalists who questioned him over the painting scandal.

Last year, he gained widespread attention when he engaged in a physical altercation with writer Giampiero Mughini during a live television broadcast, sparking a viral sensation. The previous year, he was forcibly removed from parliament after hurling insults at fellow MPs and adamantly refusing to depart voluntarily.

Despite the evidence of public opinion against him at the moment, Sgarbi seems to have some rare supporters who believe in his innocence.

“Great Victory !! You are number one both humanly and art historian. A hundred people like you would be enough and Italy would have a new Humanism and a new Renaissance!” wrote an Instagram user in solidarity for Vittorio Sgarbi.