Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda, the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci was not popular until it was stolen from the Louvre, France in 1911. Surely it was a master piece but it became popular because of a petty thief.
Leonardo da Vinci took the painting with him to France when Francis 1 invited him in 1516. The king at that time bought the painting from Leonardo da Vinci. Afterwards, it was placed in the Louvre.
The thief, an Italian immigrant, Vicenzo Peruggia, who worked in the Louvre temporarily, made a glass frame for the painting, Mona Lisa. When the work was done, he got back into the gallery and hid in the closet all night long. In the morning, he left the gallery unsuspected with the painting rolled up under his coat. This theft was not noticed until about 28 hours.
At that time, the painting was not the most popular in the gallery. It was poorly and rarely guarded and it was not fixed to the wall.
The painting was discovered to be missing in August 21,1911. It was thought to be a modernist enemies of traditional art attack. Guillaume Apollinaire was arrested as well as Pablo Picasso. They were all released as there were no evidences against them.
Guillaume Apollinaire was arrested as well as Pablo Picasso. They were all released as there were no evidences against them.
This theft however created a huge media sensation as many newspapers published photos of the painting on the front pages. Lots of Mona Lisa copies were posted. The. Police couldn’t find the thief nor the painting.
The Discovery:
In 1913, Alfredo Geri, a Florence art dealer got a letter from an author offering him to buy the stolen work, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The painting was subjected to authentication and it was discovered to be the missing Mona Lisa.
Vicenzo Peruggia, the thief and author of that letter was subsequently arrested and he confessed that the painting had since been on his kitchen table for two years. He was tried in a court in Italy.
Vicenzo claimed to be sure the painting was stolen from Italy by Napoleon and he wanted to return it to the homeland. The defense made Vicenzo look less a thief and more patriotic. He received a 1yesr 15 days jail time.
The Mona Lisa was returned to Louvre and became the symbol of the Gallery.
