Who Stole the Mona Lisa 1911?

Vincenzo Peruggia (October 8, 1881 – October 8, 1925) was an Italian thief, most famous for stealing the Mona Lisa on 21 August 1911. Born in Dumenza, Varese, Italy, he died in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, France. read more

A small snag with Perruggia's patriotic defence during his trial – that his motive for stealing the Mona Lisa was not money but to return her to the motherland, avenging Napoleon's rapacious plundering of artworks from Italy – was that the Mona Lisa was never stolen from the Italians in the first place. read more

The art theft of the century helped make the Mona Lisa what she is today. The world’s popular newspapers – a new phenomenon in 1911 – and the French police searched everywhere for the culprit. At one point they even suspected Pablo Picasso. read more