Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-02-27
WORLDS GREATEST ART THIEF.
Napoleon Bonaparte Had Regular
Mania for Ravaeing Famous Picture
Galleries

The italian who stole the Mona
Lisa" from the Louvre in Paris, and
was caught with the goods the other
day, announced to the police that he
stole Leonardo da Vinci's great paint
ing "to revenge the thievings of Ma
poleon.'
Probably he was only offering a ra-
ther unique excuse for his crime. but
at least it was interesting. And the
excuse was not wholly without found
alton. either. Whatever may have ac-
tuated the italian, Napoleon commit
ted enough outrages against art to
justify some vengeance.
For the first Emperor of the French
was about the most perniciously ac-
tive little art collector who ever raw
aged a picture gallery. The activities
of the late J. Pierpont Morgan pale in
to insignificance when compared with
the wholesale acquisitions of Napole-
on. Mr.. Morgan used a large bore bank
roll in bringing his prey to earth.
whereas Napoleon adopted the much
simpler expedient of collecting art
treasures at the point of a musket.
And he did a very thorough and COM
plete job of it. About the only thing
he failed to send back to Paris was the
W. k. Sphinx. You can see him in the
picture which goes with this piece con-
templating the Sphinx with sentiments
of loathing because 1t was too big to
be transported comfortably.
General Bonapartes collecting ac-
tivities began in 1897 when he invaded
italy as a General for the French Di-
rectory-which, you will remember
was a species of incompetent govern
ment, and not a book containing names
and addresses.
1t had been the custom of generals,
from Hannibal on down, when they
reached the summit of the Alps to
pause, thrust one hand into the bosom
of the coat, and, sweeping the land
scape with the other point out to the
faithful followers that beyond the
Alps lies Italy. High school students
have followed the practice, and it is now
generally conceded that Italy really
does lie beyond the Alps Napoleon
however, varied the program a bit
After calling attention to the we'll
known geographic fact of the location
OF Italy, he said to his army;
Soldiers, you are i'll fed and halt
naked; your government owes you
much and gives nothing; your valor
and endurance do you honor, but bring
you neither profit nor glory. I am
! about to lead you into the most fertile
plains of the world You will find
there great cities and rich provinces.
You will find there glory and riches
Will your courage fail you?"
In other words. Napoleon invited the
boys to help themselves when they
reached Italy, and the boys We're not
slow to avail themselves of the sug-
gestion. And their chief set them a
pointed example. Every town in Italy
which opened its gates to the French
was looted. Pictures were torn from
galleries, statues pried from their ped
estals, libraries and museums ravished
wholesale. Everything was packed in
to carts and sent back to Paris, except
the trinkets which soldiers and officers
succeeding in holding out.
The Directory sent the General word
that nothing should be left in Italy
which our political situation allows
us to carry off and which may be use
full to u.s." At Napoleon's request a
commission Of French artists was sent
to italy to decide what would be most
desirable to steal. This seems like a
superfuous formality, as Napoleon
stole practically everything. The num-
Der Of stolen statues and paintings in