Written by Jacques Palumbo, CNN
The Mona Lisa was the subject of an attempt at vandalism on Sunday when a visitor to the world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris glazed the protective glass of a Renaissance painting.
The man, who appeared to be wearing a wig in videos of the incident shared on social media, had the cake with him, according to CNN affiliate BFTMV.
He approached the painting in a wheelchair, according to a Louvre statement. Videos of the aftermath show him walking in a wheelchair nearby.
“A visitor simulates a disability to use a wheelchair to get closer to the work, which was installed in a secure window. The Louvre has applied its usual procedures for people with reduced mobility, allowing them to admire this great work of art, “said a statement.
“While standing near the painting, this man threw a cake he had hidden in his personal belongings into the glass window of the Mona Lisa. This action did not affect the painting, which was not damaged in any way.”
A visitor to the Louvre spread a cake on the glass protecting the Mona Lisa. Credit: @ klevisl007 via Twitter / Reuters
The 36-year-old man was arrested and taken to a psychiatric clinic at police headquarters, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office. An investigation has been launched by the prosecutor’s office into an “attempt to damage cultural property”. The Louvre has filed a complaint.
A video posted by a museum visitor on Twitter heard the man say in French, “Think of planet Earth, there are people destroying it,” while security guards accompanied the man with rose petals scattered on the museum floor.
Another video from the scene shows an employee cleaning the glaze from the glass.
Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, perhaps the most famous painting in the world, attracts millions of visitors each year who line up to pose with the small work of art, which is just over 2.5 feet high and less than 2 feet wide.
The enigmatic portrait is no stranger to both vandalism and theft. It was stolen in 1911 by an employee of the Louvre, which increased its international presence, and the lower part of the sail suffered an acid attack in the 1950s, which led to increased protection – including armored glass. In 2009, a woman angrily threw a ceramic cup at the painting, breaking the glass but leaving the painting unharmed.
This article was updated with a statement from the Louvre.
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