The Mona Lisa, arguably one of the most famous paintings in the world, wasn’t really an attraction at the Louvre until the early 1900s. Of course, it was still a beautiful artwork, and people knew about it, but it wasn’t the icon it was today. One of the reasons this portrait became so popular was because it was stolen. In August 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia, a former employee of the Louvre, walked up to the painting, checked the area, and walked away with a 100 million dollar painting! It wasn’t uncommon for a painting to be removed for cleaning, so the theft wasn’t discovered for more than a day. By then, Peruggia was nowhere to be found. There was a public outcry, and the painting vaulted into the public eye. When the Louvre reopened a week later, thousands of people flocked to see the empty frame of what was now deemed a magnificent, awe-inspiring work of art. Wanted posters were put up, borders were thoroughly checked, and pedestrians, cars, and buses were searched. The few leads they had fell through, and there was not enough evidence to arrest Pablo Picasso.
Two years passed, with Vincenzo hiding in plain sight. He was in France, and, because he previously worked for the Louvre, had been brought in by the police for questioning, but was released without any suspicion. Then, an Italian art dealer received a letter, asking if he wanted to buy the Mona Lisa. He agreed, though not planning on actually paying the 500,000-lire price (around $11,500 dollars today). After having the painting authenticated, he called the police to arrest the patriotic thief, who was only trying to return the portrait of an Italian woman, painted by an Italian man, to its homeland. Vencenzo Peruggia believed that the Mona Lisa had been stolen during the Napoleonic Era, but he was wrong. Da Vinci himself had brought it to the French court and it had been bought by the king in 1519. Now, the Mona Lisa is seen by up to 10 million people a year, and 70-80% of them come to specifically see her. She is known throughout the world for her enigmatic smile, not even a little worse for wear by her encounter.
