The Theft of Mona Lisa - What Made It So Famous?

How did Mona Lisa become the world's most famous woman?

_{<Mona Lisa> by Leonardo da Vinci, Louvre Museum, Source: Wikipedia}

Do you think she's beautiful? The Mona Lisa is assessed to be over $620 million (USD). Over 6 million people visit to see the Mona Lisa at the Louvre each year. France wouldn't sell even if the country goes bankrupt. How did Mona Lisa become such a millionaire and how did she become the world's most famous painting?

Some people say it's because of her enigmatic smile or her perfect golden ratio, or maybe because Leonardo Da Vinci painted it. However, it was a theft over 100 years ago that made Da Vinci's ordinary Renaissance artwork to an internationally renowned masterpiece overnight.

_{Vincenzo Peruggio and the Mona Lisa, edited, Source: vaquelpaese.com}

A Theft Created A Legendary Masterpiece

Vincenzo Peruggia was a Louvre employee. On August 20 1911, he came to the Louvre, pulled out four iron nails that secured Mona Lisa and concealed it under his smock. Because the museum was closed to the public on that day, Peruggia hid in the broom closet and exited with the public the next day, as he was one of them.

No one noticed that Mona Lisa was gone. It was common that the museum's photographers take the painting to their studio. The guards noticed that the wall was empty but thought the photographers simply forgot to return. The next morning, a Louvre employee found Mona Lisa's empty frame on a staircase and it was suspected of theft.

A large-scale investigation was conducted. Police searched all employees' home but found nothing in Peruggia's apartment. At that time, he hid the painting under the table. Mona Lisa's theft was all over newspaper and it became the hottest worldwide issue overnight.

_{A drawing from French newspaper - Excelsior, Source: Getty Images}

In November 1913, two years after the incident, Vincenzo Peruggia contacted an Italian art dealer Alfredo Geri to sell Mona Lisa to Italy. Geri and the director at Uffizi Gallery contacted the police so then Peruggia was arrested. Peruggia claimed that the sole purpose of the heist was to return Mona Lisa back to Italy, where it originally belonged.

Peruggia became the hero of Italy. While imprisoned, he received love letters, cakes, and bottles of wine. He was released after serving for 7 months.

A Slight Suspicion

The Mona Lisa was painted on 30" x 21" (77cm x 53cm) wood panel and assessed to be weighed over 200 lbs with its frame and glass. Do you think it's possible for a man of his size (5' 3") to lift the painting on his own? At the trial, Vincenzo claimed that he worked with 2 other conman - Eduardo de Valfierno and Yves Chaudron. Their purpose was to make several copies of Mona Lisa and sell them. This story has no basis in fact. However, it is possible that a perfect copy was made during the two years that Mona Lisa was hidden in Peruggia's apartment. The museum never conducted a test to verity authenticity so who knows? :)

Experts suspect that the true motive of the burglary wasn't for patriotism for Italy. They found a letter he wrote to his parents shortly after the theft where Peruggia mentioned about money but never about a sense of duty. Another theory is that he fell in love with Mona Lisa because she resembled the women he loved.

We don't know the exact reason why Peruggia had stolen the painting. However, if it had not been for the Mona Lisa's theft, it would have become the most recognized painting.

_{Don't you dare try to steal me again! Source: Meme Center}

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