City Diaries: Visual Narratives from Around the World

Paul Thompson: Return of the Mona Lisa (1914) (33/100)

On January 4th, 1914, officials and art enthusiasts gathered eagerly around the world-famous painting, 'Mona Lisa' or 'La Gioconda' or 'La Joconde', upon its return to Paris. The painting, created by Leonardo da Vinci during the Italian Renaissance, had been stolen from the Louvre Museum by an Italian handyman named Vincenzo Peruggia in 1911. After two long years of searching, the painting was finally found in Peruggia's possession in Florence, Italy. The painting's return to Paris was a momentous occasion, as the theft had caused widespread panic and concern for the security of the Louvre's priceless art collection. Download the Full Size 5k Hi-Res Digital Photograph [HERE](REDACTED)