73: The Theft of the Mona Lisa

Ill-Equipped History

The Mona Lisa wasn't always the household name it is today. For most of its existence, it was respected as a beautiful piece of art by artists and critics. In 1911, a man named Vincenzo Peruggia stole the masterpiece from its spot in the Louvre, which catapulted the Mona Lisa into worldwide fame. Morgan and Emileigh discuss the history of the Louvre, the Mona Lisa, and the man who changed the art world forever.

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Sources:

“To Catch a Thief” by Joanna Lucarino (Dec 2019)

https://www.lagazzettaitaliana.com/history-culture/9282-to-catch-a-thief#google_vignette

“Mona Lisa: The theft that created a legend” by Sheena McKanzie for CNN (Nov 19 2013)

https://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/18/world/europe/mona-lisa-the-theft/index.html

“The Theft That Made The ‘Mona Lisa’ A Masterpiece” by NPR (July 30 2011)

https://www.npr.org/2011/07/30/138800110/the-theft-that-made-the-mona-lisa-a-masterpiece

“100 Years Ago: The Mastermind Behind the Mona Lisa Heist” by Jeff Nilsson for The Saturday Evening Post (Dec 7 2013)

https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2013/12/the-mona-lisa-heist/

“Stealing Mona Lisa” by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler for Vanity Fair, excerpted from The Crimes of Paris: A True Story of Murder, Theft, and Detection (Apr 16 2009)

https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2009/05/mona-lisa-excerpt200905

“Stolen: How the Mona Lisa Became the World’s Most Famous Painting” by James Zug for Smithsonian Magazine (June 15 2011)

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/stolen-how-the-mona-lisa-became-the-worlds-most-famous-painting-16406234/

“The Heist that Made the Mona Lisa Famous” by Evan Andrews (Aug 19, 2016)

https://www.history.com/news/the-heist-that-made-the-mona-lisa-famous

“6 Times the Mona Lisa Was Vandalized or Stolen” by Alex Greenberger (Jan 28 2024)

https://www.artnews.com/list/art-news/artists/mona-lisa-vandalism-1234630407/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincenzo_Peruggia

“The History and Legacy of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mysterious ‘Mona Lisa’” by Kelly Richman-Abdou and Margherita Cole (June 28 2024)

https://mymodernmet.com/leonardo-da-vinci-mona-lisa-facts/

https://www.louvre.fr/en/explore/the-palace/the-salon-carre

“The Louvre visitor guide”

https://www.francethisway.com/paris/the-louvre.php#google_vignette

Sound Credits:

Music by Gregor Quendel from Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/music/main-title-cinematic-trailer-music-06-cinematic-cello-arpeggio-trailer-114623/

joshuaempyre https://freesound.org/people/joshuaempyre/sounds/431330/