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Mona Lisa Was Made Famous Through Thievery
While the painting was long considered a masterpiece in the art world, it wasn’t until it was stolen that the rest of the world learned her name. It was stolen in 1911, and the fact was reported in newspapers across the world. A number of important figures in the art world were under suspicion for the theft. Even Pablo Picasso was questioned.
Finally, a Florence art dealer reported to the authorities that a man had tried to sell him the painting. The man, Vincenzo Peruggia, had worked briefly at the Louvre, and he and two others had hidden in closets overnight and stole the painting away without suspicion.
