Let's Learn French Together

The Mona Lisa

O.K. there are two main things I have to do if I go to Paris. One is obviously go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and two, is to see the Mona Lisa. I have to admit even though I'm an abstract artist, and prefer modern art to that of let's say Rennaissance art, my favorite piece of artwork in the world is the Mona Lisa. I have read in many art magazines, that art historians do not really consider it to be that great. But it is definately the one painting that people all over the world want to see. 

I always read about this work of art growing up, but it wasn't until I was in my 20's that i found out the painting is actually pretty small. It is 30" in high by 20 7/8".

One of the most famous art robberies in history:

It was called the biggest art heist in history, in 1911- An employee of the museum left with the Mona Lisa hidden under his house painters smock. Vincenzo Peruggia noticing a large number of Italian paintings in the French national collection, assumed they were stolen by Napoleon. He wanted to pilfer the Mona Lisa and return to Italy because he thought it was the most beautiful. It was not returned until 1913 when he attempted to sell it to a collector.

Early on the morning of August 21st, 1911, a workman, Vincenzo Peruggia found himself alone in the Salon Carre at the Louvre. He left unnoticed with the Mona Lisa under his house painter smock.

Eduardo de Valfierno, an Argentine con man put Peruggia up to stealing the painting. He hired an art forger who made six copies of the stolen painting and sold it to unscrupulous collectors who thought they were getting the real thing. The deal made the equivalent of 67 million today for him. Peruggia kept it stored in the false bottom of a trunk until he naively offered it for sale to a Florence art dealer and was caught.

Mona Lisa is now protected by a formidable railing, bulletproof glass and will have her own room at the Louvre.