The Mona Lisa Was Not Always Famous

Before 1911, the Mona Lisa was merely a respected painting rather than a global sensation. Its sudden worldwide fame only exploded after the portrait was daringly stolen from the Louvre.

The painting spent decades as a quiet masterpiece until an employee walked out of the museum with it hidden under his smock. The resulting media frenzy lasted for two years while police hunted for the missing treasure. By the time it was recovered, the image had been printed in newspapers across the globe, cementing its status as an icon. Most people today would not recognize it if not for that bold heist.