The theft that made the Mona Lisa famous all over the world

Mona Lisa's smile

The Mona Lisa theft is one of the most famous art thefts in history. But at the time of its theft, the Mona Lisa was hardly known, and only art lovers knew it was a masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci. It wasn't until two years later, when it was discovered, that it really entered mainstream vision and eventually became one of the most famous paintings in the world today.

Professor Donald Sassoon documented the Mona Lisa in his 2001 book, A History of the World's Most Famous Paintings.

On August 21, 1911, the Louvre was closed for repairs on this day, and the carpenter (Vincenzo Peruggia) took the opportunity to steal the Mona Lisa. The decision was made to steal the Mona Lisa, not because it was the most famous painting of the time, but because it was so small that it was easy to steal for a shorter one. The Mona Lisa is painted on a wooden board, 77 cm long and 55 cm wide. Actually, his favorite painting is (Andrea Mantegna), but it is much larger.

He removed the wood from the frame, and then he went home and lay down. He put it next to the stove and left it for a few years, not knowing what to do with it. Except for the wood that is a little deformed, the rest is well preserved.

It was a sensational story at the time, because it was stolen in August, and nothing usually happens in August. Therefore, many media, especially the mass media in France and Britain, have chosen this story for coverage. But even so, the painting did not receive widespread attention, and connoisseurs only paid attention to it before the age of tourism (note: seventeenth century).

In 1913, when it was being brought to the table, the Mona Lisa went unnoticed. It wasn't until he wrote to an art dealer claiming to own the painting that it was eventually discovered. The dealer alerted the local curator (Giovanni Poggi), called the police, was arrested, and was eventually sentenced to 6 months in prison.

It was this discovery that really made the Mona Lisa widely known. In January 1914, before it was transported back to France by train, a touring exhibition was also held in Italy, and there was even a group of people waiting for it.

Claiming that he did so out of nationalism and wanted to return the painting to his homeland, the professor did not believe in such "nonsense": "He had a reputation for a quarter of an hour, but beyond that he was just an ordinary carpenter." ”

Text reference expiration

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/mona-lisa-theft-1911-stolen-artwork-masterpiece-003709719.html

English expressions you may be interested in

amateur art

Art lovers

mainstream consciousness

Mainstream consciousness, mainstream cognition

the Louvre

Louvre

connoisseur

Art connoisseur

be widely regarded

Widely recognized

art dealer

Art dealers

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