On July 21st, 1911, one of the most famous art thefts in history occurred at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. The painting stolen was none other than the iconic "Mona Lisa" by Leonardo da Vinci.

The theft was carried out by an Italian handyman named Vincenzo Peruggia, who had been hired to construct protective glass cases for some of the Louvre's most famous works. Peruggia hid inside the museum on Sunday, August 20th, knowing that the museum would be closed the following day. On Monday morning, he emerged from his hiding place, dressed in one of the white smocks worn by Louvre employees. He then walked to the Salon Carré, where the Mona Lisa was on display, removed the painting from the wall, and simply walked out of the museum with it hidden under his smock.

Peruggia kept the painting in his apartment in Paris for two years before attempting to sell it to an art dealer in Florence, Italy. The dealer, however, alerted the authorities, and Peruggia was arrested. The Mona Lisa was returned to the Louvre in 1913.

During the time that the painting was missing, its theft became a media sensation, and the Mona Lisa's fame skyrocketed. The empty space where the painting had once hung became a popular tourist attraction in itself, with visitors flocking to see the spot where the famous work had been stolen from.

Peruggia claimed that he had stolen the painting out of patriotism, believing that it rightfully belonged in Italy, as Leonardo da Vinci was Italian. However, the painting had been legitimately purchased by King Francis I of France and had been on display at the Louvre for centuries.

The theft of the Mona Lisa is a testament to the painting's enduring fame and the fascination it holds for people around the world. Today, the Mona Lisa is one of the most recognizable images in the world, and its theft on July 21st, 1911, only added to its legend.