Without any doubt Antonello da Messina stands out as the greatest renaissance artist Sicily produced. Although he travelled to the mainland and up to Venice, most of his professional life was spent in his home city of Messina producing works of exquisite beauty. One of his strengths was in being able to learn new techniques and styles, adapting them to his own particular style. It has been said that he was always able to catch the moment of the mind and it is true that the faces that look out from his paintings are those of real people.

His use of Netherlandish limpid light combined with northern Italian use of perspective and detailed symbolism make his pictures unforgettable, once seen.