The Theft That Made Mona Famous
In 1911, Italian handyman Vincenzo Peruggia pulled off an astounding heist by simply walking out of the Louvre with the Mona Lisa under his coat. His nationalistic motivation to return the painting to Italy sparked a global sensation. The theft transformed da Vinci’s masterpiece into an international celebrity. When recovered two years later in Florence, the painting’s fame had grown exponentially, forever changing art security practices.
