Thursday, August 20, 2020

The World's Most Famous Painting by Janice Lynn



Did you ever wonder how the Mona Lisa, also known as the La Gioconda by the Italians, became the most famous painting in the world? Painted by Leonardo Da Vinci in the 16th century, the Mona Lisa is a painting that is believed to be of Lisa Gherardini, an Italian noblewoman. Da Vinci painted the famous portrait on a poplar panel. The painting was given to King Francis I of France in 1516 by Da Vinci, and has hung in the Louvre since 1797. Well, except for when someone stole it from where it was displayed and it disappeared for two years.

It's hard for me to imagine that someone could take the Mona Lisa from where it was displayed in the Louvre, put it under his coat, and walk out of the Paris museum, but it happened despite the 200 guards working to protect the precious artwork on display. On August 21, 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia did just that and put the painting was on the front page of papers around the world. With his theft, he skyrocketed the Mona Lisa to the most famous painting in the world.

Yes, there is a story about how Peruggia pulled off such a feat. He worked for a glass company who was making glass cases to protect some of the Louvre's most famous paintings. Apparently Peruggia believed that the French had stolen the Mona Lisa from his beloved Italy and he wanted to return it to his home country. He slipped the painting off the wall and hid it in a closet. Before leaving work, he hid the painting under his coat and walked out of the museum. For two years, what happened to the painting was a mystery. 

Guards thought the painting was being cleaned so it wasn't initially reported as missing. Unbelievably, it was over 24 hours before it was reported to the police. The police did question Peruggia. The Mona Lisa was hidden in his home when the police questioned him, but they believed his alibi. For two years, the spot where the Mona Lisa had hung was left empty in hopes she'd someday be found. During that time, Peruggia kept the painting hidden in a trunk in his home. In 1913 he contacted an Italian curator about the painting and was later arrested. Due to his 'patriotism' to Italy, their courts only sentenced him to a little over a year in prison, of which he, unbelievably, only served 7 months. Peruggia did sort of get his wish, though, as the Mona Lisa did briefly tour in Italy prior to being returned to the Louvre. 

And, to put it in the words of Paul Harvey, "Now, you know the rest of the story."

I've never been to the Louvre (or Paris), but traveling (if we ever get to travel again!) to Europe is definitely on my bucket list. I'd love to visit the Louvre and seeing the magnificent works of art there. Honestly, though, I'm a lover of all types of art--painting, sculpting, weaving, welding, quilting (you knew I was going to put that one in there, right?), and lots more. I love the process of creating something and am amazed by how talented so many are. 

In my upcoming sweet romance Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy, Sophie Davis is a talented quilter and has lots of creative sewing projects. She and her sister own a quilt shop. One of Sophie's talents is that she makes Quilts of Valor to be donated to those who have or are serving in the military.

 Are you an admirer of the arts or a creative genius? I'd love to see photos of some of your creations. Or if your an admirer, what are some of your favorite pieces of artwork (of any kind, not just paintings)? If you can find a handy pic to share, I'd love to see!  One lucky person leaving a comment will win a pair of butterfly earrings. 

7 comments:

  1. What an interesting blog, Janice. Good luck with your new Christmas release!

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  2. We visited the Louvre when our kids were in high school. We took them on a trip to France, Italy, and Switzerland. The place is huge and you really can't see it all in a day, but we tried. The first time we tried to go there ten years earlier, they were on strike and the museum was closed.

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    1. oh wow. That had to be disappointing when they were on strike. But how cool that you got to go?!

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  3. What an interesting story! I had never heard it before.
    Congratulations on your upcoming release.

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    1. I was looking at things that had happened on this date and thought it interesting, too. :) Thanks for the congrats. :)

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  4. Janice, loved your blog. It brought back a lot of memories. As newlyweds in the '70's, my husband and I visited the Louvre on a tour from our base in Germany. My husband was memorized by the Mona Lisa. Congratulations on your new release.

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