PSA from the French government / Photoshopped by Juliette McKenney
The Mona Lisa is, perhaps, the most well-known singular painting in all of art. Over the hundreds of years that it has been on display in galleries across Europe there have been many attempts to steal it, and even a near-successful attempt by Vincenzo Peruggia in 1911. In recent years the real Mona Lisa has been kept behind lock and key in the Louvre, to prevent vandalism and theft. The top security measures of any museum have been applied to it, and so since it was returned to its home in the museum more than one hundred years ago it has remained relatively safe and untouched.
Nearly a week ago this streak of security was broken. When Museum worker Antoine Martin, who was tasked to clean the glass that houses the painting, entered the long room where it resides he was shocked. Glass lay shattered on the floor around where the painting was. When he got closer, he realized that although the canvas was there, the Mona Lisa herself was not. The rest of the room appeared completely undisturbed, although the singular entrance was slightly ajar. Strangely, there were what appeared to be footprints all over the room and out the door.
Immediately, the Parisian authorities were notified. The police attempted to follow the trail, but it seemed to wander through the gallery and then trail off near the entrance. When the camera footage of the room was checked they saw no vandal painting over the Mona Lisa, but rather they watched as the woman herself appeared to stretch out of the painting. Throwing her legs out first and then jumping through the glass, she was material. She walked to the door, wrenched it open, and wandered through the Louvre. She wondered at the paintings for around twenty minutes and then simply walked out through the entrance doors.
She was wearing a full Italian Renaissance gown and veil, although she may have changed since she escaped. Louvre officials beg that if you see her you report it so that she may be brought back. French Police Officer Ophelie Tautou commented “We are not going to arrest the Mona Lisa, of course, but she has committed a crime and we worry for her safety. If she is found, be assured that she will be questioned peacefully and helped to establish herself in whatever place she would like to be whether that be in her painting or not.” She is currently wanted for stealing the Mona Lisa from the Louvre, and authorities continue their search as of the time this article is being released.