The theft of the Mona Lisa, which made the painting world famous

It is one of the most famous art thefts in history.

But when the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in Paris occurred 110 years ago, the rest of the world took little notice of the theft.

At that time, Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece was known primarily to art lovers.

It was only its discovery two years later that really brought it to the attention of the general public and ultimately gave it its current status as the most famous painting in the world.

On August 21, 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen by Italian carpenter Vincenzo Peruggia, who was carrying out repairs at the Louvre, which was closed that day.

Prof. Donald Sassoon, who described the Mona Lisa in his 2001 book The story of the most famous painting in the worldtold Yahoo News UK: “He decided to steal the Mona Lisa, not because it was the most famous painting at the time, but because it was small – and he was a small man.

“His favorite painting was by Andrea Mantegna, but it was much bigger.”

The Mona Lisa, painted on a wooden panel, measures 77 x 55 cm.

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Prof. Sassoon continues: “He removed the wood from the frame and just went home to his one-room apartment. He left it there for a couple of years, not knowing what to do with it.

“He kept it next to the stove and because it’s a piece of wood, it warped a little bit, but other than that it was fine.

Watch: Visitors flock to see the Mona Lisa when the Louvre reopens in 2020

“It was a big story because it was stolen in August. Normally nothing happens in August. So the press, especially the French and English tabloids, picked up the story.

“But even then it wasn’t very well known. Those in the know knew about it, but that was before the age of tourism.”

Then, a few weeks later, Russian Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin was assassinated. “So the story continued.”

When Peruggia brought the painting to Florence, Italy, in 1913, the Mona Lisa had been “more or less forgotten,” says Professor Sassoon.

The painting was finally found when he wrote to an art dealer in Florence claiming he owned it. The dealer informed Giovanni Poggi, the director of the Uffizi. Poggi alerted the police and Peruggia was arrested.

The discovery is “what made the Mona Lisa so famous,” says Professor Sassoon.

The play was so important that it toured Italy before being returned to France by train in January 1914. There was even a crowd waiting for the play.

Peruggia has since been sentenced to six months in prison.

Prof. Sassoon laughs: “He claimed he did it out of nationalism and wanted to return the painting to his fatherland or some nonsense like that.

“He had his quarter hour of fame, but otherwise he was a normal carpenter.”