On August 21, 1911, the art world was shaken to its core when the Mona Lisa, Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, vanished from the Louvre Museum in Paris. The audacious theft of this iconic painting would captivate the public and confound authorities for over two years.
The theft was discovered when a painter entered the Salon Carré, where the Mona Lisa was displayed, only to find an empty space on the wall. Initially, museum staff assumed it had been removed for photographing. However, as hours passed, the alarming truth emerged – the painting had been stolen.
The French police launched an extensive investigation, questioning and fingerprinting all museum staff. Notable figures, including Pablo Picasso, were briefly considered suspects. Despite their efforts, the trail went cold, and the Mona Lisa’s whereabouts remained a mystery.
It wasn’t until December 1913 that the truth came to light. Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian handyman who had worked at the Louvre, was caught attempting to sell the painting to an art dealer in Florence. Peruggia, motivated by misguided patriotism, believed the Mona Lisa should be returned to Italy. He had simply walked out of the museum with the painting hidden under his coat.
The Mona Lisa itself is a testament to Leonardo da Vinci’s genius. Painted between 1503 and 1506, with some sources suggesting he continued refining it until 1517, this oil-on-poplar-panel portrait is remarkably small, measuring just 77 cm × 53 cm (30 in × 21 in).
The subject of the painting, believed to be Lisa Gherardini, wife of Francesco del Giocondo, is depicted from the waist up, seated on a balcony with a distant landscape behind her. The Mona Lisa is renowned for its enigmatic smile, innovative techniques like sfumato (soft, smoky curves), and its captivating gaze that seems to follow viewers.
Over the centuries, the Mona Lisa has become more than just a painting; it’s a cultural phenomenon. Its theft only amplified its fame, transforming it into the world’s most recognizable work of art. Today, protected behind bulletproof glass and constantly guarded, the Mona Lisa draws millions of visitors to the Louvre each year, all eager to glimpse the smile that has enchanted the world for over 500 years.
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