The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-08-23
WORLD RENOWNED
PAINTING STOLEN
Da Vinci's Priceless Portrait
La Joconde" Has Dis
appeared.

hounces that Leonardo Da V,nci's IA
nous and greatest work. la Giocon-
do" (the Norma Lisa) has been stolen
from the Louvre. The museum was
closed at o'clock yesterday.
LA Joconde," as the picture is call
ed by the French, was believed at
Arst to have been moved in order to
be photographed. A search for the
painting after the museum was closed
proved fruitless. Several photograph
ers have been authorized to take pho
tographs In the Louvre. The permits
are personal and bear the portraits OF
the photographers. All the latter have
been summoned to the museum.
The disappearance OF the picture
from the Scion Care was noted about
noon. There was tremendous excite
ment in a moment. All the officials
who were In Paris were summoned
and an investigation was begun at
once. The police closed the museum
and visitors were told a water pipe
had burst.
Frame Thrown Down Stairway.
The ministry of fine arts informed a
correspondent this evening that the
only new point which had developed
was the discovery the frame o, the pic
ture had been thrown down small
stairway. but not damaged. The can
vas was removed. but not cut from the
frame, although the robber would be
compelled to cut or fold 1t II he took
Il from the museum. as the picture
was large. 1t NAV be noted that Mon
day was the usual closing day.
II is dificult to establish the person
who saw the picture last. So far as can
be ascertained one of the workmen
who had arrived for the usual clean
ing operations pointed out the "Monna
Lisa" to companion at 1880 o'clock
Monday morning as the costliest pic
ture In the Louvre.
II Is believed the picture disappear
ed two hours afterward. No inquiry
was made as 1t was thought at first
that It had been removed for photo
graphing. There was no uneasiness
over Its disappearance until midday
today.
May be Held For Ransom.
II 10 believed by some that the dis
appearance Of the painting Is the work
of a practical joker who wanted to
draw attention to the lack of supervis-
ion over the Louvre gallery. Naturally
It would be impossible to sell such a
work. although a. thief might try to
hold It for heavy ransom.
The missing picture is of Floren-
tine lady, the wife Of Francisco Glo-
condo, 1t Is said to be the most cele-
brated portrait Of a woman in the
world. with it's re markable sphinxlike
smile which has fascinated painters,
poets. and artists for generations.
The picture has been reported stolen
several times.
In European art circles 1t IL consid-
cred to rank second In value only to
the Sistine Madonna by Raphael
Both are priceless.
Millions Offered for Picture.
1t IL q matter of gossip, though no
onicial verification of the rumor has
ever been given. that the British gov
eminent at one time offered $4,000. 900
for the picture and that the offer was
refused. It took Da vinci 1--WE years
to bring out the mysterious smile
lurking In the eyes and lips of the
subject, and It 10 said that at the end
lof that time he declared the work to
lbe still unfinished.
The picture belongs to Da vinci's
Oecond Florentine period, having been
painted some time between 1900 and
1906. Its number in the Louvre was
1901. It was hung in the Salon Care.
among the most famous pictures Of
the early italian school In the collec-
ton.
Just q year and a month ago today
the Cri de Paris announced that La
Joconde" had been stolen from the
gallery Of the Louvre one night in
June through the completely of an Of
tdctal Of the museum and that a copy
had been substituted for the original
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