Born on August 21
The Day the Mona Lisa Vanished
An empty wall made her famous.
Next: August 21, 2027
Where it comes from
This Story marks the anniversary of Monday 21 August 1911, when the Mona Lisa disappeared from the Louvre in Paris. The museum was closed that day, and the few guards who noticed the empty space assumed the painting had been taken away to be photographed.
How it's celebrated
There is no formal observance. Anyone can mark the day by looking closely at Leonardo da Vinci's portrait, in person at the Louvre or online, and thinking about how a picture that in 1911 was just another painting on the wall, hung on four metal hooks, became the most famous painting in the world.
Did you know
Once the theft was discovered the next day, the Louvre was shut for a week, and crowds laid flowers at its gates as if someone had died.
Read the full story of The Day the Mona Lisa Vanished
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Leo · July 23 – August 22 · Fire sign
Warm, generous and made for the spotlight.