The Story Behind the Painted La Gioconda
There is some special connections between Italians and French people. Same passion for food, fashion and soccer. And something else: an artist that is shared between the two countries: Leonardo Da Vinci. His greatest work is La Gioconda, as known as Mona Lisa, that you can see in Paris at the Louvre.
This is the story behind the painting: «Leonardo Da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503 or 1504 in Florence, Italy. (…) Leonardo took the painting from Italy to France in 1516 when King François I invited the painter to work at the Clos Lucé near the king's castle in Amboise. Most likely through the heirs of Leonardo's assistant Salai, the king bought the painting for 4,000» *
For years, La Gioconda has been subject of a discussion between France and Italy. And it has been subject of a theft too. It was stolen by an Italian guy too. «21 August 1911. (…) Louvre employee Vincenzo Peruggia had stolen it by entering the building during regular hours, hiding in a broom closet and walking out with it hidden under his coat after the museum had closed.» *
Was Vincenzo Peruggia a patriot?
Vincenzo Peruggia was a guy from Dumenza, near Milan. «Peruggia said he did it for a patriotic reason: he wanted to bring the painting back for display in Italy after it was stolen by Napoleon. Although perhaps sincere in his motive, Vincenzo may not have known that Leonardo da Vinci took this painting as a gift for Francis I when he moved to France to become a painter in his court.» *
Now, the French News channel France 24 open again the case. «Simone Toffanin, director of the play entitled "The Trial of Vincenzo Peruggia"» stated «"We believe Peruggia was a patriot" (…) Recounting the famous house painter's story, the official website for Dumenza uses quotation marks around the word "thief" to describe Peruggia. Instead of the word "stolen", the website also says the painting was "withdrawn" from the Louvre. But Dumenza's mayor Corrado Nazario Moro said he did not want Peruggia to become some kind of local hero if only to safeguard his town's reputation. "We do not want to become known as the birthplace of the Mona Lisa thief," he said.»
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