Priya Kapoor
The Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, is one of the most famous and valuable paintings in the world. It is viewed by millions of people each year and is considered the crown jewel of the Louvre's collection in Paris. The painting has been the target of attempted theft and vandalism on several occasions. The most famous incident was in 1911 when Vincenzo Peruggia, a former Louvre employee, stole the painting and hid it in his Paris apartment. The theft sparked a large-scale police investigation and generated unprecedented publicity for an art theft, contributing to the painting's global fame and popularity. The painting was eventually recovered and returned to the Louvre in 1913.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Theft | 21 August 1911 |
| Location of Theft | Louvre, Paris |
| People Involved | Vincenzo Peruggia, Italian handymen |
| Motive | Italian Patriotism, Money |
| Date of Recovery | 1913 or 1914 |
| Impact | Became world-renowned, Gained significant public interest |
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What You'll Learn
The Mona Lisa theft of 1911
On 21 August 1911, Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" was stolen from the Louvre in Paris. The painting was first reported missing the next day by painter Louis Béroud. The theft of the "Mona Lisa" has been called the "art heist of the century", but the execution of the heist itself was fairly rudimentary.
On the evening of Sunday, 20 August 1911, a small, mustachioed man entered the Louvre museum in Paris and made his way to the Salon Carré, where the Da Vinci painting was housed alongside several other masterworks. Security in the museum was lax, so the man, later identified as Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian immigrant and former Louvre employee, found it easy to stow away inside a storage closet. He remained hidden there until the following morning when the Louvre was closed and foot traffic was light. At around 7:15 a.m., he emerged, clad in a white apron—the same garment worn by the museum's employees. He then slipped out of the closet and lifted the 200-pound painting, frame, and protective glass case off the wall. Peruggia left the Louvre through the same door he had entered, with the painting wrapped in his smock and tucked under his arm.
Peruggia kept the "Mona Lisa" hidden for two years, stashed in a wooden trunk with a false bottom in his Paris apartment. During this time, he was questioned about the theft on two separate occasions, but the police never considered him a serious suspect. Peruggia finally made an attempt to sell his "treasure" in December 1913. Using the alias "Leonard", he sent a letter to a Florentine art dealer named Alfredo Geri, informing him that he had stolen the "Mona Lisa" and wanted to repatriate it to Italy. Geri called in Giovanni Poggi, director of the Uffizi, who authenticated the painting. Poggi and Geri then informed the police, who arrested Peruggia at his hotel, with the painting placed under his bed.
After its recovery, the painting was exhibited all over Italy with banner headlines rejoicing its return. The "Mona Lisa" was then returned to the Louvre in 1913 or 1914. Peruggia was charged with theft and put on trial in Italy. During his testimony, he claimed that national pride had inspired him to steal the painting, which he believed had been looted from his native Italy during the Napoleonic era. Peruggia was sentenced to one year and 15 days in prison but served only seven months before winning his release on appeal.
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![The Theft of the Mona Lisa [Region 2]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51sIASwJmjL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
Vincenzo Peruggia, the thief
Vincenzo Peruggia, born Pietro Vincenzo Antonio Peruggia, was an Italian decorator who became famous for stealing the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in Paris on 21 August 1911. Peruggia was born on 8 October 1881 in Dumenza, a small Italian village near the Swiss border. He moved to Paris in 1908, where he found work at the Louvre as a glazier, cleaning and reframing paintings.
Peruggia's job at the Louvre gave him inside knowledge of the museum's security measures and the location of the painting. On the morning of 21 August 1911, Peruggia entered the Louvre wearing a white smock that blended in with the other workers. It was a quiet Monday morning, as many people were hungover from the previous night's social activities. Peruggia made his way to the Salon Carré, where the Mona Lisa was hanging. He removed the painting from the wall and took it to a nearby service stairway, where he discarded the protective case and frame. Peruggia then wrapped the painting in his smock and tucked it under his arm before leaving the museum through the same door he had entered.
Peruggia hid the painting in his apartment for two years before attempting to sell it to an art dealer in Florence, Italy. He contacted the art dealer, Alfredo Geri, offering to bring the painting to Italy for a reward of 500,000 lire. However, Geri recognised the painting and contacted Giovanni Poggi, the director of the Uffizi Museum in Florence. Peruggia was arrested on 12 December 1913, and the painting was recovered in 1914. Peruggia claimed that he had stolen the painting out of Italian patriotism and that he wanted to return it to its rightful homeland. He pleaded guilty to the theft and was sentenced to eight months in prison, although some sources state that he only served seven months.
Peruggia's theft of the Mona Lisa had a significant impact on the painting's fame and popularity. Prior to the theft, the painting was relatively unknown outside the art world. However, the media frenzy surrounding the theft and the subsequent recovery generated unprecedented publicity, transforming the Mona Lisa into an international icon. Peruggia's life and crime polarised the media, and he became a figure of intrigue and mystery. After his release from prison, Peruggia served in the Italian Army during World War I. He later returned to France, where he worked as a painter and decorator under his birth name, Pietro Peruggia. He died on 8 October 1925, his 44th birthday, in a Parisian suburb.
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The painting's return in 1913
The theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911 sparked a media frenzy, with newspapers across the world reporting on the disappearance of the masterpiece. The painting's thief, Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian patriot, believed that the artwork belonged in an Italian museum. For two years, Peruggia kept the painting hidden in a trunk in his apartment before growing impatient and seeking to sell it.
Peruggia's attempts to sell the painting ultimately led to his downfall. He contacted Alfredo Geri, the owner of an art gallery in Florence, using the name Leonardo V. Geri called in Giovanni Poggi, the director of the Uffizi Gallery, who authenticated the painting. Poggi and Geri then informed the police, who arrested Peruggia. After its recovery, the painting was exhibited across Italy, with banner headlines celebrating its return.
Peruggia was interrogated in Florence following his arrest on 12 December 1913. He claimed that he had entered the Louvre on the morning of the theft, around 7 am, wearing a white smock that made him look like a museum employee. Peruggia was motivated by his belief that the painting should be returned to Italy, and he may have been encouraged by an associate who stood to profit from the sale of copies of the original.
The Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre on 4 January 1914, and the theft and subsequent recovery generated unprecedented publicity for an art theft. The painting's return was reported worldwide, leading to a massive increase in public recognition. The notoriety it received from newspaper headlines and the large-scale police investigation helped the artwork become one of the most famous in the world, gaining considerable public interest.
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The theft's impact on the painting's fame
The theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911 is widely regarded as a pivotal moment in the painting's journey to becoming a household name. Before the theft, the painting was relatively unknown outside the art world. However, the incident generated unprecedented publicity and intrigue, propelling the artwork into the global spotlight.
The theft was perpetrated by Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian patriot who believed the painting belonged in Italy. Peruggia hid in the Louvre overnight and made off with the 200-pound painting, frame, and protective glass case. The heist caused an international uproar, with newspapers worldwide covering the story and the French public expressing outrage.
The painting's disappearance sparked a massive investigation, with 60 detectives seeking its recovery. The French poet Guillaume Apollinaire was even suspected and imprisoned, adding to the drama surrounding the theft. The intrigue and mystery surrounding the disappearance of such a valuable piece of art captured the public imagination.
The recovery of the painting in 1914, two years after it was stolen, further intensified the publicity. The incident inspired numerous cultural depictions, including an opera, films, and a song by Nat King Cole, which became one of the most successful songs of the 1950s. The theft and its aftermath created a lasting legacy, firmly establishing the Mona Lisa in the public consciousness.
The painting's newfound fame also led to increased security measures. The Louvre upgraded the protection surrounding the artwork, and the Mona Lisa has since been displayed behind bulletproof glass. The theft and its aftermath not only contributed to the painting's fame but also shaped the way it is preserved and presented to the public.
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Vandalism and attempted theft of the Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa, one of the most beloved artworks in the world, has been the target of vandalism and theft attempts on several occasions. Here is a detailed account of some of these incidents:
Theft in 1911
On the evening of 21 August 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in Paris. Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian museum worker, along with two accomplices, hid in a storage closet until the museum closed for the day. Peruggia claimed he wanted to return the painting to Italy, where he felt it belonged. However, he kept the painting hidden for two years before attempting to sell it to a Florentine art dealer, which led to his identification and arrest. This incident and the subsequent media frenzy are believed to have contributed significantly to the painting's fame.
Vandalism in 1956
In 1956, the Mona Lisa was vandalised twice in separate incidents. Firstly, an individual attempted to damage the painting with a razor blade but was unsuccessful. Then, Hugo Unjaga Villegas, a Bolivian man, threw a rock at the painting, knocking off a small bit of paint. The painting was already protected by glass, which minimised the damage, and it was restored by experts.
Vandalism in 1974
During a rare global tour in 1974, the Mona Lisa was exhibited at the National Museum in Tokyo. On the first day, Tomoko Yonezu, a 25-year-old Japanese woman, spray-painted the canvas in red. She was protesting the museum's refusal to provide access for people with disabilities, an issue that had been raised by disability activists. While some droplets of paint reached the painting, it was not permanently damaged, and Yonezu was convicted and fined.
Vandalism in 2009
In 2009, a Russian woman smashed a teacup against the Mona Lisa while it was on display at the Louvre. She had concealed the cup in her bag and reportedly did this in response to being denied French citizenship. The protective glass case prevented any damage to the painting, but the incident sparked discussions about enhancing security measures.
Vandalism in 2022
In May 2022, a 36-year-old man smeared cake and icing across the lower half of the Mona Lisa. The man, who appeared to be wearing a wig and approached the painting in a wheelchair, threw the pastry he had hidden. The protective glass case once again safeguarded the painting from any harm.
These incidents underscore the ongoing challenges of protecting valuable artworks like the Mona Lisa from vandalism and theft attempts, and the need for robust security measures.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Mona Lisa was stolen on 21 August 1911 by Vincenzo Perugia, a former Louvre employee. The painting was returned two years later.
Perugia stole the painting in the hopes of returning it to Italy, where he believed it belonged. He hid the painting in his apartment in Paris and tried to sell it to an art dealer in Florence. However, the dealer was suspicious and informed the authorities.
The theft of the Mona Lisa sparked a large-scale police investigation, with at least 60 policemen scouring the Louvre for clues. The French poet Guillaume Apollinaire and the painter Pablo Picasso were among those arrested. The painting was eventually found in Perugia's apartment, and he was arrested and sentenced to eight months in prison.
Yes, the theft and subsequent recovery of the Mona Lisa generated unprecedented publicity for an art theft. It became the subject of cultural depictions such as an opera, films, and a song. The notoriety from the newspaper headlines and the investigation helped the painting become one of the best-known artworks in the world, gaining considerable public interest.
