Another Heist at the Louvre

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

The Blank Wall Where the Mona Lisa Originally Hung Before Its Theft in 1911

The recent brazen theft of an estimated 102 million dollars worth of jewels from the Louvre Museum reminded us of another famous robbery, noted not only for what was stolen, but for who was questioned before the resolution of the crime.

In 1911, artist Louis Béroud went to sketch in the galleries of the Louvre and noticed that the Mona Lisa was missing. Although an important work, the painting had not reached the epic status that it has today. Initially, officials thought the painting might be in the conservation department or was perhaps being photographed, but quickly realized that it had indeed been stolen. It would be two years before it was recovered.

In the course of the extensive investigation, 29-year old Pablo Picasso was questioned. Picasso, who lived and worked in Montmartre had become friends with Guillaume Apollinaire, an art critic and poet. Picasso became a suspect in the Mona Lisa theft after Ap…