NEW YORK, NY.- Actor/artist Federico Castelluccio flew back to Italy to personally escort his 17th Century painting of Saint Sebastian by Guercino back to New York, as he had loaned the masterpiece to the Italy-based Cosso Foundation for their “Saint Sebastian: Beauty and Integrity in Art Between the 15th and the 17th Centuries” exhibit at the Miradolo Castle, just outside of Turin.

The exhibit opened back in early October, when the story first broke on the Sopranos actor having recently discovered the lost painting, and just closed on March 8th. During that time, over 20,000 people have come to view the exhibit.

Castelluccio attended the private closing night gala for the exhibit, hosted by the Cosso Foundation, which featured live music and multi-media performances in each room throughout the castle, before personally overseeing the packing & crating of his Guercino.

He then escorted the painting, along with a 16th Century Titian masterpiece of Saint Sebastian represented by his friend, NY art dealer Robert Simon, through the cargo area at the Milan airport and flew home to New York yesterday with the paintings, being met by white-gloved professional art transporters to take the Geurcino to its temporary new home, now safely in residence in a New York vault until Castelluccio decides where its first U.S. viewing will be.

The Guercino, said to be worth millions, was already on its way to Italy when the announcement was made in October, so its return this month marks the first time the painting will actually be on U.S. soil since gaining worldwide attention in the fall. The painting had previously not been on public view for over 350 years.