The Mona Lisa is the world's most famous painting. But was it really stolen? This is a question that has long intrigued art lovers. There are many theories, but one of the most compelling is that Peruggia repainted it. In fact, it was Peruggia's work that made the Mona Lisa so famous.
Who stole the Mona Lisa?
Here are four theories that have sparked debate:
Leonardo Vincenzo
In 1913, a French poet named Guillaume Apollinaire was arrested and charged with stealing the Mona Lisa from the Louvre museum in Paris. His mysterious background and radical views made him a dangerous foreigner. However, the French government released Apollinaire after only five days. Leonardo Vincenzo was arrested when he was selling a painting to an art dealer. However, a recent investigation has uncovered that Vincenzo may not have stolen the Mona Lisa.
Eduardo de Valfierno
As an art dealer, Eduardo de Valfierno makes money from supplying wealthy patrons with forgeries of famous paintings. In addition to stealing the Mona Lisa, he also employs a small group of craftsmen. In order to protect himself and his business, he plays on the greed of one party while taking advantage of the embarrassment of the other. However, when his master forger dies, he needs a replacement.
Pablo Picasso
The story of how Pablo Picasso stole the Mona Lisa is a complex one. In 1911, a Parisian newspaper published a tip accusing a fellow artist of stealing the Mona Lisa. This lead the police to Picasso. At the time, Picasso had been living in Paris for almost a decade. He was in the midst of the Cubist movement and had formed a friendship with writer Guillaume Apollinaire. Apollinaire was also accused of stealing two sculptures from the Louvre, and the pair was caught.
Apollinaire
In the summer of 1789, a robber stole two statuettes from the Louvre. The two painters were associated with the theft. The thefts were attributed to two men, Picasso and Guillaume Apollinaire. Picasso was linked to the thefts because he had purchased the statues to use as models. However, both men were later cleared of the crime after a lack of evidence. A few years later, Picasso's son was also arrested for stealing these statues.
Pieret
There are several suspects in the theft of the Mona Lisa, including Pablo Picasso. The young artist was living in Paris when the painting went missing and had made friends with Guillaume Apollinaire and his secretary, Gery Pieret. Pieret had stolen several works from the Louvre, including several Iberian sculptures. Picasso was interested in Iberian art and had paid Pieret to do the work, which led to speculation that Pieret stole the Mona Lisa.
