The Mona Lisa Theft: From Florence to the Louvre, Immortality, and the ‘Other Gioconda’
Have you ever wondered how a Renaissance portrait ended up becoming the most famous work of art in the world?
The story of the Mona Lisa, or La Gioconda, is an epic five-hundred-year adventure fueled by its creator’s obsession. Leonardo da Vinci simply couldn’t part with it, carrying it with him across Italy all the way to France. But her real leap to immortality didn’t happen in the halls where she was exhibited, but in chaos: a theft that shocked the world and catapulted her from masterpiece to legend.
Want to know the Mona Lisa’s journey? Keep reading, because The Touring Pandas is going to reveal Lisa’s complete journey, from Leonardo’s workshop to the halls of the Louvre, the truth behind the “famous theft” and where you can find her mysterious lost twin.
The Woman Behind the Smile: Who Was Lisa?
Forget the Louvre and the crowds for a moment, and let’s travel to Renaissance Florence. The truth is that the most famous work in the world has a much less mysterious name: The Portrait of Lisa Gherardini.
This woman was neither a princess nor a mythological figure. She was the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, a wealthy silk merchant from Florence. Leonardo da Vinci began painting her around 1503, and the work was simply a commissioned portrait. Gossip says that Leonardo fell in love with the woman and kept the commission for himself, never delivering it, and taking it wherever he went. Oh, what we do for love…
But why do we know her by so many names? Here is the meaning behind the legend:
- La Gioconda: This is the most common name for the work in Italy and Spain. It comes from her husband’s last name, Giocondo. But it has a wonderful double meaning: in Italian, “gioconda” means “joyful” or “jovial.” Thus, La Gioconda is, literally, “The Joyful Woman.” What irony for such a mysterious smile!
- Mona Lisa: This is the universal name. “Mona” is simply a contraction of Madonna or Monna, which in the Italy of the time was a title of respect equivalent to “Madam” or “Lady.” Therefore, Mona Lisa means “Lady Lisa.”
So, as you prepare to see her at the Louvre or in the… well, I’ll tell you later, remember: you are about to encounter Lady Lisa, the Joyful Woman of Florence.
The Start of the Journey: Leonardo and His Beloved Work
Most works of art are delivered to the client upon completion. But La Gioconda is different, and Leonardo knew it. It was not only a commission, but it became an obsession for its creator. Leonardo carried her with him until the end of his days, retouching her, perfecting her, and, perhaps, using her as a canvas for his relentless pursuit of artistic perfection. We are only left with one question: Why did he leave the eyebrows for last? I suppose we’ll never know.
When Da Vinci painted her, the portrait was already revolutionary. The sfumato technique (that blurring that softens the contours and blends the details, making the smile seem to change before our eyes) and the innovative use of the ethereal landscape in the background set her apart from all the portraits of the time.
Leonardo felt such an attachment to this work that he never delivered it to the Gherardini family. This was the first act that would define the extraordinary journey of the work: it became the genius’s inseparable companion.
A Portrait in a Suitcase: Da Vinci’s Travels
Imagine an itinerant artist, carrying his tools and, yes, his masterpiece across the Alps. The true journey of the Mona Lisa begins with her creator’s constant relocation.
The Odyssey of La Gioconda with her Creator
The work began its humble life in Florence, Italy (1503-1506), as the portrait of Lisa Gherardini. But Leonardo’s obsession soon turned her into his personal shadow, preventing her from being delivered to her original owner.
- 1508 – 1513: Heading to Milan. Leonardo works for King Louis XII of France. The work travels with him, demonstrating that it was already an irreplaceable piece. It was during this period, while moving between Florence and Rome (1509-1510), that the young genius Raphael Sanzio got to see it.
- 1513 – 1516: Stay in Rome. Da Vinci moves again, this time under the patronage of Giuliano de Medici. La Gioconda faithfully follows her master across the Apennines.
- 1517: The Epic Crossing to France. This is the most dramatic leap. Leonardo accepts the invitation of King Francis I and crosses the Alps. The work travels in his luggage to Amboise, France.
During his years in Rome or Florence, the Mona Lisa was not just a personal project; it was an admired work of art. It is believed that it was during this time that the young and talented Raphael Sanzio visited Leonardo’s workshop and was so captivated that he sketched the work. This drawing, which is now preserved in the Louvre, is the earliest proof of the portrait’s existence and a sign of its impact on other great masters.
From Italy to the French Court
In 1517, Leonardo da Vinci accepted an invitation from the young and enthusiastic King Francis I of France to become the “First Painter, Engineer, and Architect of the King.”
Here comes a crucial moment in history: the acquisition. It is believed that Francis I acquired the portrait of La Gioconda from Leonardo himself (or his heir, Salai) in 1518 for a considerable sum for the time.
- Why is this so important? With this acquisition, the portrait became part of the French Royal Collections definitively. It was an act of “Frenchification” that sealed the work’s fate, forever linking it to the history of France.
From then on, La Gioconda was moved through different royal residences, enjoying the status of a masterpiece at the Château de Fontainebleau, and finally, settling in the Musée Central des Arts (the future Louvre Museum) after the French Revolution.
An Emperor’s Muse
The destiny of the work continued to be linked to power. At the beginning of the 19th century, another great leader claimed it for himself: Napoleon Bonaparte.
When Napoleon became Emperor, the portrait was temporarily moved from the Louvre galleries to the private chambers of his wife, Josephine, and later to his own in the Tuileries Palace.
Imagine for a moment: the smiling Lisa Gherardini, watching the great strategist as he planned his campaigns. This was a brief, but significant, detour from her public life, underscoring her value as a personal treasure of the governing elite. Fortunately, she returned to the Louvre after Napoleon’s fall, resuming her place as a jewel of French heritage.
The Theft That Made Her a Legend (1911-1913)
The Mona Lisa was already famous, yes, she was the jewel of the Louvre. But it was the crime that catapulted her from being a masterpiece to a global icon and a media phenomenon.
| August 1911. The news shocked Paris and the world: The Mona Lisa had been stolen!
The hysteria was absolute. Crowds, not of art critics, but of curious onlookers, flocked to the Louvre just to see the empty space on the wall where the small 16th-century portrait once hung. The void became an obsession.
Suspicion fell on the most unthinkable people. Did you know that even Picasso was suspected of the theft? The police believed the theft was connected to other burglaries that led to Picasso as the final buyer. Luckily, Picasso was acquitted, but the incident demonstrates the chaos and magnitude of the investigation. The most astonishing thing is the simplicity of the feat. Contrary to popular fantasy, it was not a movie-like robbery with secret tunnels or audacious plans. The thief, Vincenzo Peruggia, had been a Louvre employee, which eliminated the need for grand planning:
|
 |
He simply hid in a closet on Monday night, waited for the museum to close on Tuesday, put on the uniform, unhooked the work, wrapped it in his coat, and walked out with it through a side door. It was that simple: the world’s most famous work was stolen almost without planning, without the need for great tricks. The drama was not in the execution of the crime, but in the two years of emptiness and the media frenzy that followed.
Fun fact for the restless: The Louvre Museum still closes on Tuesdays.
Return Home? The Thief and His Motive
Two years and four months later, in December 1913, the mysterious disappearance came to an end.
The work, which had remained hidden in a Parisian apartment, reappeared in the city of its origin: Florence.
The thief, the Italian Vincenzo Peruggia, had contacted a Florentine antique dealer (Alfredo Geri), pretending to be a patriot who wanted to return Leonardo’s work to its “home,” Italy. The antique dealer reported the suspicion to the authorities, and Peruggia was quickly captured.
- Theft or Patriotism? This is the great debate that still resonates. Peruggia claimed that his only motive was to return a treasure that had been “looted” (a mistaken belief, since Francis I had acquired it legally).
Here is the twist: The woman portrayed was from Florence, Italy! The work was stolen from the Louvre in France, and the thief, of Italian origin, delivered it in Florence, Italy. Did the Mona Lisa return for a brief moment to where it belonged?
The “Other” Gioconda, and Not Just Any Gioconda
Do you want to meet the other Gioconda? It’s not a copy, it’s her twin, and it is located in the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain. This version of the Mona Lisa is, as far as we know, the oldest existing reproduction of Leonardo’s masterpiece. The astonishing thing is that it was painted by one of Da Vinci’s closest disciples, and he did it at the same time Leonardo was working on the original in his workshop. What’s more, until the second half of the 19th century, it was believed that even this work was by Leonardo himself, which underscores its extremely high quality and fidelity in replicating his technique and style.
After its restoration in 2012, which revealed a hidden landscape identical to the one in the Louvre, a crucial detail was confirmed:
- The disciple was sitting next to Leonardo, painting the same scene. The Prado’s Gioconda offers us a glimpse of what the original Mona Lisa must have looked like when it was freshly finished, without the darkening of time, because before its restoration, it had a dark repainting that protected the background. It is a journey through time via the canvas.
Fun fact: The twin at the Prado Museum does have eyebrows. To each his own taste!
Where To Go? The Choice Is Yours… Or Both!
Now that you know the fascinating history of La Gioconda and her twin, you might be wondering what your next stop should be. Whatever your choice, we assure you of an unforgettable immersion in art history:
In Madrid: The Best-Preserved Gioconda
If you are already in Madrid, you can take the opportunity to meet the lost twin of La Gioconda at the Prado Museum. You can expect:
- Fewer Crowds: Enjoy a calmer visit and a Gioconda that, thanks to its restoration, offers us a glimpse of how the original looked when it left Leonardo’s workshop.
- Much More Art: In addition, the Prado Museum houses thousands of other fascinating works that you have no idea about. Don’t miss Velázquez, Goya, or El Bosco! You can learn a little more in our blog about the museum: [Tips to Visit the Prado Museum in Madrid].
In Paris: Da Vinci’s Original Smile
If you visit Paris, seeing the original Gioconda painted by the hand of Leonardo da Vinci at the Louvre Museum is, without a doubt, a mandatory stop. It would be a sin to go up the Eiffel Tower and not “lose yourself” in the endless halls of Europe’s largest museum.
And even though the Mona Lisa may be the most famous work of art in the world, at the Louvre Museum, you will find more works and relics of human history that will take your breath away without fail.
Are you ready to become a true “Giocondo” by exploring these Museums? We look forward to making your trip the best one!