New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-14
Highest Praise for Italy's
Spontaneous Courtesy
Expressed.
D'ANNUNZIO KNEW
WHERE PAINTING WAS
Said on Wednesday That Picture
Was in Florence - Thief's
Finger.Prints on Frame.
TRy Cable to The Tribune.l

lated from all quarters for having the
good luck of inaugurating his admins
tration with the recovery of La Gio-
conda.'" In reply TO The Tribune cor
respondent NJ. Viviani said:
Nothing could be more gratifying 10
rs than the prompt and spontaneous
courtesy Of the Italian government IN
officially apprising s.of the good news
and of at once placing Leonardo ca
VincPs masterpiece at our disposal ana
without hesitation about returning II
by invoking the Italian law prompting
exportation of works by old italian
masters. In fact, the picture was
tainted by Da Vinci to the order ot
Francis l, in whose employ the painter
was at the time. Anyhow, it is an i'm
mense relief to all lovers OF art 10 ma
that La Gioconda' was not destroyed
bv some maniac, as was feared.
This discovery at Florence and the
exquisite courtesy of the Italian gov
eminent come as a most welcome evil
dence OF the good feeling and friendly
relations between Italy and France,
now again consecrated by the immortal
smile of La Gioconda,' which will be
hung in the same place as before at
the Louvre"
No Doubt of Identity.
NJ. Homolle, who was curator Of thu
Louvre at the time Of the disappear
ance of the picture, said;
There seems to be no doubt about
the identity of the painting found in
Florence. but the Identification cannot
be official until the work is compared
with the photograph which by fortu-
nate coincidence was made oil La
Gioconda' at the Louvre fifteen days
before the theft, showing all the cracks
and the most minute details of the
canvas
A curious anecdote is related by Ar
thur Meyer, director Of lie Gaulois,
who was present at a dinner party at
well known Partisan lady's house last
Wednesday, when the conversation
turned on the Louvre Museum and
when Gabrielle d'Annunzio, who was
one Of the guests, remarked:
81 am absolutely certain that La
;ioconda' is at Florence. l don't want
% be a talebearer or police spy by
ienouncing the person who has the
picture in his possession, but l am con-
;inced that you will all see Mona Lisa
again at the Louvre within very
short time"
Thousands of photographs and litho-
graphs Of La Gioconda" are displayed
in shop windows here, and the recoV-
cry is hailed with enthusiasm on the
boulevards and at cafes. clubs, teas and
social gatherings. which assume the
PROPORTIONS Of a national Thanksgiving
festival.
Fresh Proof Of Theft.
Fresh proof that Mona Lisa" was
taken from the Louvre by Vincenzo
Perugia was established to-day when
his finger-prints, taken when ne was
convicted some time ago Of carrying
firearms without a permit, were COM
pared with those on the frame and
glass Of the picture and found eXactiy
similar. The finger prints on the glass
and frame were preserved by the poIlce'
and the similarity with those of Peru
gia is distinctly visible.
81 do not believe Perugia's story OF
how he stole the picture" SAID M
Drioux, the investigating judge, who
has had charge Of the Mona Lisa
case from the beginning, "as 1t does
not fit into the facts as we know them.
La Gioconda' was taken before the
decorators, of whom Perugia was one.
entered the Louvre"
NJ. Drioux said he had not the least
doubt that the real picture had been
recovered.
The French government, through
Premier Doumergue, to-day thanked
the Italian government formally for
the manner in which the Mona Lisa
case was handled. NJ. Viviani also
sent a similar dispatch. A representa-
tive of the Fine Arts Department Is
being sent to Rome to thank the ltal-
ian officials on behalf of the French
government and also to bring pacK
the picture to Paris. Il
Florence, Dec 1S.-Vincenzo Perua
from whom Leonardo da Vinci's mascer
piece, Mona Lisa" was recovered yes
terday, declared absolutely TO the police
to-day that he had no accomplices, either
direct or indirect, in the theft OF the
painting from the Louvre; nobody knew
Of his plan before its execution. nobody
saw him wnen he distracted the picture
and nobody knew that he had the picture
IN his possession.
Il did not take the painting through
desire for gain" he said. 'but wished 10
accoi lplish a good and holy work by re-
turning TO my country one OF the many
treasures stolen from it,
While working in the Louvre, he con-
tinued, he was overcome with shame on
hearing visitors indicate the best works
as Italian. One day ne took this oath:
Il will be unworthy of Italy II i do not
return TO her one of these masterpieces
The idea obsessed him and the Mona
Lisa" was ever before him. When he
could delay no longer he found that he
could accomplish his purpose without
gFeat difficulty, as ne was already known