On Sunday, 29th May, a man disguised as an elderly woman tried vandalising the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum in Paris. This incident has left everyone astonished, art lovers and netizens alike.
Maybe this is just nuts to me💀but an man dressed as an old lady jumps out of a wheel chair and attempted to smash the bullet proof glass of the Mona Lisa. Then proceeds to smear cake on the glass, and throws roses everywhere all before being tackled by security. 😂??? pic.twitter.com/OFXdx9eWcM
— Lukeee🧃 (@lukeXC2002) May 29, 2022
He couldn’t succeed in his attempt thanks to the bulletproof glass that protects Leonardo da Vinci’s work in the Louvre Museum. He tried smashing the glass and then smeared it with cake while throwing roses around.
The man was escorted by the Louvre’s security before he could cause any damage to the painting. The videos circulating on the internet captured him shouting – “Think about the Earth, think about the Earth, there are people who are destroying the Earth, think about it. All the artists tell you to think about the Earth, all artists think about the Earth, that’s why I did this, Think about the Planet.”
Aquí el momento en que se llevan a quien le aventó un pastel a la Monalisa.pic.twitter.com/HBayMOdcKV
— Alejandro Alemán (@elsalonrojo) May 29, 2022
Vandalism attempts against the Mona Lisa are not new. Throughout history, attempts to deface, steal, or use the painting to raise awareness for various causes have been made.
In 1956, the lower part of the masterpiece was severely damaged when a man threw sulfuric acid at it. It was after this incident that the bulletproof glass protection was installed.
In December 1956, Ugo Ungaza Villegas, a Bolivian, hurled a rock at the infamous painting, chipping a spec of paint.
It was even stolen in 1911, and went missing for nearly three years.
Also Read | 15 Interesting Facts About Leonardo Da Vinci’s Famous Artwork: The Mona Lisa
