1881 in Dumenza, Italy. † 1925 in Annemasse, France
Italian art thief
Best known for: Theft of the Mona Lisa, 1911
Exhibited works
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Theft of the Mona Lisa, 1911. GF | B | Before it was stolen from the Louvre in 1911, the Mona Lisa wasn’t well known outside the art world. But world-wide media coverage drew a lot of attention to the painting. The empty spot on the wall where the painting once hung became a huge attraction. Thousands of people, more than ever before, lined up to see this empty spot. It took 2 years for the real thief to be caught. The thief turned out to be Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian carpenter who had been working at the Louvre and knew all the exits and escape routes. Peruggia wanted to return the painting to its home country because he was convinced that all Italian art had been stolen by Napoleon for the Louvre. Peruggia chose the Mona Lisa because the painting is small and easy to carry. However, Napoleon had not stolen the painting. It came to France when Leonardo da Vinci was invited to the court of King Francis I. The king either bought the painting directly from da Vinci, or from one of his heirs. | |
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Credits Photographer unknown. Source: Walter Littlefield: The Two Mona Lisas, Century Magazine 87 (1914), p. 527 | ||