The Louvre Vs. the Man

Attack on Mona Lisa

On May 30, the world-renowned "Mona Lisa" Renaissance masterpiece was attacked by a 36-year-old man disguised as a woman in a wheelchair by a cake in Paris. The painting was kept in the Louvre Museum and was a treasured work of the celebrated artist, Leonardo da Vinci.

Attacker and Motives

The crowd was left stunned when a man who faked the disability disguised as an elderly woman all of a sudden leaped out of the wheelchair to cross the rope separating the painting from the crowd and smashed the painting with cake, and attempted to break the glass. The painting is not damaged and is protected by the bulletproof glass as per the reports. The man was escorted out by the museum's security guards, who handed him over to the police. The vandal was yelling in French that he did this for mother earth and that these artists were destroying the planet.

Aftermath and Legal Actions

The man was detained and is now being kept in the police psychiatric unit. The Louvre will take legal action against the man with vandalism charges. An investigation for the damage to cultural artifacts is now open.

Social Media Reaction and Cleaning Process

Although the attack was not captured by any camera and is not on the footage, several videos posted on social media show the guards cleaning the glass and collecting the remains of the cake.

Historical Context of Attacks on Mona Lisa

Undoubtedly, the painting is the crown jewel of the museum and one of the primary attractions of the Louvre, as the canvas is from the 16th century. Because of the high historic value of the painting, it has been a target for vandalism several times in the past. In 1911, the painting was stolen by an employee of the museum and recollected in 28 months. In December 1956, a Bolivian man threw a rock at the painting, which caused the glass to break, and a paint chip fell from the elbow. In 1974, a woman vandalized the painting with red spray. In 2009, an angry Russian woman threw a teacup at the painting to protest for not getting French citizenship.

Conclusion

The attack on the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum shocked the world. The painting, a treasured work by Leonardo da Vinci, was targeted by a man disguised as a woman in a wheelchair. Despite the attempt to damage the painting, it remains unharmed thanks to the bulletproof glass. The attacker claimed to be acting for the environment, but his actions have resulted in legal consequences. This incident adds to the history of attacks on the Mona Lisa, which has been a target for vandalism multiple times in the past.