There was commotion at the Louvre in Paris on Sunday when a man disguised as an old lady in a wheelchair thew cream cake at the "Mona Lisa" as part of an apparent climate-relate protest.
Shocked onlookers watched as the man smeared cream on the bulletproof glass shield protecting the world’s most famous painting before he was restrained by security guards.
While Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece was luckily undamaged, it’s not the first time it has attracted the attention of vandals.
In August 1911, the painting – known as "La Joconde" in French – was stolen from the Salon Carré, a small room reserved for masterpieces on the second floor of the Louvre.
It was the crime that made her a legend. A widespread investigation was launched, with art critic Guillaume Apollinaire and Pablo Picasso emerging as suspects.
The thief however turned out to be an Italian glazier, Vincenzo Peruggia, who was involved in a project to fit important museum works with protective glass.
For two years Peruggia kept the painting hidden in his bedroom in the double bottom of a white wooden suitcase under his bed – in what’s often being described as an act of "patriotism".
Ramped up security
Now considered to be priceless, the "Mona Lisa" was not returned to the Louvre until January 1914, when it was placed under increased surveillance.
Fast forward to 1956 – a difficult year for the "Mona Lisa" – which was damaged during two separate vandalism incidents.
Firstly the canvas took a hit when a man sprayed acid paint on the work. A few months later a Bolivian man threw a rock at the painting, breaking the protective glass. The resulting splinters damaged the left arm of the "Mona Lisa", which had to be repainted.
It was these attacks that prompted the Louvre to install bulletproof glass around the "Mona Lisa".
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In 1974, when on display at the Tokyo National Museum, the portrait was attacked once again – this time with red paint – by a visitor in a wheelchair who was upset over the venue’s lack of access ramps. The work was unharmed.
Then most recently, in 2009, a Russian woman who was frustrated at failing to obtain French nationality threw a ceramic cup at the "Mona Lisa".
The cup was shattered, and the armoured glass slightly scratched. Da Vinci’s prize painting, now a favourite target for vandals, survived again unscathed.
While no footage was taken of Sunday's attampt to damage the painting, here's a tweet of the aftermath:
Maybe this is just nuts to me💀but an man dressed as an old lady jumps out of a wheel chair and attempted to smash the bullet proof glass of the Mona Lisa. Then proceeds to smear cake on the glass, and throws roses everywhere all before being tackled by security. 😂??? pic.twitter.com/OFXdx9eWcM
— Lukeee🧃 (@lukeXC2002) May 29, 2022
