At the Louvre Museum, "La Joconde" targeted by a cream pie

Europe 1 with AFP 11:30 a.m., May 30, 2022

She hasn't lost her legendary smile, thanks to her protective glass.

"The Mona Lisa", the most famous painting in the world, was entarred on Sunday at the Louvre museum in Paris according to testimonies on social networks.

An act without consequence since the painting is placed behind armored glass.

Solicited Sunday evening by AFP, the Louvre museum replied Monday that it did not wish to comment.

Maybe this is just nuts to me but a man dressed as an old lady jumps out of a wheel chair and attempted to smash the bullet proof glass of the Mona Lisa.

Then proceeds to smear cake on the glass, and throws roses everywhere all before being tackled by security.

???

pic.twitter.com/OFXdx9eWcM

— Lukeee (@lukeXC2002) May 29, 2022

According to photos and testimonies posted by tourists on Twitter or Instagram on Sunday, the incident happened in the early afternoon.

Several photos show the protective glass of "The Mona Lisa" smeared with cream, which is cleaned by a man who seems to be a museum guard.

A Twitter user claims the perpetrator is a man in disguise with a wig, who got up from a wheelchair to hit the bulletproof glass, before throwing a cake at her.

"The Mona Lisa", already victim of vandalism in the past

This netizen also posted a video in which we see the man in question standing next to his wheelchair and being escorted out by security.

"There are people who are destroying the Earth (...) All artists, think of the Earth. That's why I did this. Think of the planet", says, in French , the man dressed in white, wig and cap on his head.

In other images, the wheelchair can be seen placed behind the security cordon which visitors should not normally pass.

No photos or videos captured the incident itself.

Can anybody translate what ole dude was saying as they where escorting him out?

pic.twitter.com/Uy2taZ4ZMm

— Lukeee (@lukeXC2002) May 29, 2022

This is not the first time that Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting has been the victim of vandalism.

In August 2009, a Russian visitor to the Louvre was arrested after throwing an empty teacup in the direction of "La Joconde".

The museum then explained that the cup had broken against the armored display case, which had been very slightly scratched.

In December 1956, a Bolivian threw a stone at "La Joconde", damaging her left elbow.

After that, she had been placed behind a secure display case.

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- Why is the Mona Lisa in France?

Presented since 2005 behind this armored glass and protected by a special box where humidity and temperature are controlled, "The Mona Lisa" sees millions of people parading each year who come to admire it in the largest museum in the world (ten million visitors per year before Covid-19).