As part of the program for L’Aquila 2026, Italian Capital of Culture, the National Museum of Abruzzo – MuNDA is inaugurating the permanent exhibitionof Antonello da Messina’s *Ecce Homo*, a small double-sided panel—painted on both sides—which became part of the national heritage in February 2026 and was added to the museum’s collections under inventory number OPS 2800.

The work was first presented in 1981 by art historian Federico Zeri during a conference dedicated to Antonello da Messina. Its extremely small size and the presence of two devotional images suggest that the panel was intended for private devotion: it is plausible that the owner carried it with him, kept in a small cloth or leather case, using it as an aid for meditation and personal prayer.

The front depicts the*Ecce Homo*, Christ presented to the people after the flagellation. The reverse side depicts Saint Jerome kneeling in a desert landscape, praying before a small crucifix embedded in the rock. The severe wear on this side of the panel suggests that it was frequently kissed during prayer, a common practice in late-medieval private devotion.

The acquisition of *Ecce Homo* enriches MuNDA’s collection and reaffirms the role of *L’Aquila 2026* as an extraordinary opportunity to showcase the nation’s historical and artistic heritage.