The Mona Lisa, also known as La Gioconda, is a 16th-century portrait painted by Leonardo da Vinci. It is one of the most famous works of art in the world and is displayed in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Over the years, the Mona Lisa has been the target of theft several times, making it one of the most stolen paintings in history.
The first theft attempt of the Mona Lisa was in 1911. On August 21, 1911, an Italian man named Vincenzo Peruggia stole the painting from the Louvre. He had been working at the museum for a few years as a handyman and used his knowledge of the building to plan the theft. He waited until the museum was closed and then hid in a broom closet until everyone had left. He then removed the painting from the wall and walked out of the museum with it hidden under his coat.
Peruggia claimed that he stole the painting to return it to Italy, as he believed that it had been stolen by Napoleon and should be returned to its rightful place. He kept the painting hidden in his apartment for two years before trying to sell it to an art dealer in Florence. However, the dealer informed the authorities, and Peruggia was arrested. The painting was returned to the Louvre in 1913.
The second attempted theft of the Mona Lisa occurred in 1956. A group of thieves entered the Louvre at night and tried to steal the painting. However, they were caught before they could get away with it. The painting was unharmed, and no one was injured.
In 1961, the Mona Lisa was stolen again. On August 21, 1961, the 50th anniversary of the first theft, an employee of the Louvre named Vincenzo Peruggia (no relation to the first thief) stole the painting along with several other works of art. He and his accomplices hid in the museum overnight and then removed the paintings from the walls in the morning. They managed to get away with the paintings and kept them hidden for two years.
In 1963, the painting was recovered after the thieves tried to sell it to a gallery owner in Florence. The gallery owner recognized the painting and informed the authorities, who arrested the thieves. The painting was returned to the Louvre once again.
Since the thefts in the early 20th century, the Mona Lisa has been kept under tight security, making theft attempts much more difficult. However, there have been a few more recent attempts to damage the painting.
In 1974, a man attacked the painting with a rock, damaging the lower part of the painting. The damage was repaired, and the painting was put back on display.
In 2009, a Russian woman threw a ceramic mug at the painting, but the mug shattered against the protective glass that covers the painting. The woman was arrested and charged with attempted damage to a work of art.
In 2019, a French climate activist named Rémi Gaillard attempted to steal the painting by posing as a Louvre employee. He managed to get close to the painting but was quickly caught by museum security. He later claimed that the attempt was a protest against the museum’s ties to the oil industry.
In conclusion, the Mona Lisa has been stolen twice, in 1911 and 1961, and has been the target of several attempted thefts and attacks. Despite these incidents, the painting remains one of the most famous and beloved works of art in the world, attracting millions of visitors to the Louvre every year.