I read this morning an article about the Mona Lisa (Guardian Review Section 6.8.11) and that it had been stolen a hundred years ago (21 August 1911) by an Italian painter and decorator who had been hiding in a cupboard all night. No-one noticed the painting was missing for 24 hours as the Louvre was closed for maintenance and everyone thought that somebody else had removed it for cleaning, photographing or restoration.
In 1911 the Mona Lisa wasn't as well known as it is now and certainly wasn't universally known. You had to travel to the Louvre to see her - there were no etchings, postcards or photographs. Now her image is reproduced on everything from fridge magnets, rubbers, mugs, tea towels, jigsaw, tee shirts. Everyone will recognise Mona Lisa. The theft might have been the reason for its popularity increasing outside of Europe. The newspaper story of the theft was illustrated with a reproduction of the painting. Millions who had never heard of it, suddenly became experts on Leonardo's stolen painting.
In 1911 the Mona Lisa wasn't as well known as it is now and certainly wasn't universally known. You had to travel to the Louvre to see her - there were no etchings, postcards or photographs. Now her image is reproduced on everything from fridge magnets, rubbers, mugs, tea towels, jigsaw, tee shirts. Everyone will recognise Mona Lisa. The theft might have been the reason for its popularity increasing outside of Europe. The newspaper story of the theft was illustrated with a reproduction of the painting. Millions who had never heard of it, suddenly became experts on Leonardo's stolen painting.
I remember seeing the Mona Lisa when I went to Paris as a teenager. I was disappointed to find she was only 77cm high. Smaller than my current flat-screen TV. Other people, however, are amazed at how big it is because they are so used to seeing her on a postcard. I was also disappointed to find her behind sheets and sheets of bullet proof glass with an incredibly large casing framing her to hold the glass in place. At the time I remember being sad that people could not actually enjoy this painting - its notoriety had meant it was only going to be best seen on a postcard. I decided to photograph the painting that hangs directly opposite Mona Lisa in the Louvre. He looks at her and she at him, with her enigmatic smile.
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| I will try to find out who this is and who painted him. I have emailed Andrew Graham Dixon - see if he knows. |
I also found two photographs of me taken whilst I was taking the image above. You can see Mona Lisa behind me, hidden behind her reflective glass and held prisoner in her casing, surrounded by people so that nobody really gets a good look at her.
I had just been given my first camera. Paris was where I shot my first film.
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| Now she sits in splendid isolation - www.louvre.fr |
The Picture Vanishes will be broadcast in Radio 3's Twenty Minutes series on 21st August at 7.50pm - I will be programming my Digital Bug because I think that's worth a listen.
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