"LA GIOCONDA."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1932, 15 December 1913, Page 5

"LA GIOCONDA."

RECOVERED AT LAST. PRICELESS PICTURE SAFE IN FLORENCE. AN AMAZING THEFT. By Telegraph—Press Association—CopyriKht (Rec. December 14, 5.5 p.m.) Roma, December 13. "La Gioconda," otherwise "Mona Lisa," the famous picture by Leonardo da Vinci, which was stolen from tho Salon Carre of tho Louvro in Paris on August 21, 1911, has been recovered. The Minister of Public Instruction announces that it is now safe in the National Museum at Florence, and that tho French Government 'has been invited to send an expert from the Louvre to identify it. The thief, who made away with what is probably the most valuable art treasure in tho world, turns out to be ono Vinccnzo Perugia, a house-painter, of Paris. Perugia was working at his trade in the Louvro and stole the "Mona Lisa," concealing it under his blouse. Ho kept it at his domicile until ho read an announcement that a dealer of Florence, named Geri, was organising a loan exhibition. Perugia then wrote offering tho "Mona Lisa" for £20,000. Geri then informed Signor Poggi, tho director of tho famous Ufizzi Gallery, and induced Perugia to come to Italy. Tho picture was brought in tho false bottom of a wooden trunk. Tho two connoisseurs inspected the picture at a hotel,' Signor Poggi securing its removal to the gallery on tho pretext of com oaring it with tho other masterpieces of da Vinci which were there. The number and seal of the Louvro aro. still conspicuous on tho back of the panel. The Marquis di San Guiliano, Minister of Foreign Affairs, informed tho French Ambassador in congratulatory terms of the recovery of the picture. i Perugia states that ho stolo the. picture in revenge' for Napoleon's thefts of Italian pictures during his campaigns.

"La Giocomla," or the "Mona Lisa," was painted by Leonardo da Vinci m )50i. It is the portrait of tho wife of a Milanese gentleman, and the enigmatic smile of tho lady has baffled tho interpreters from that (lay to this. The smile is as elusive as the picture. As a work of art nothing of Leonardo da \ inci is superior. The works of da Vinci' are so rare that any valuation of tho nicture is almost impossible. In the estimate ot conncisenrs "La Giocomla" is one of the most beautiful pictures in the world, and no other robbery in the annals of art could have produced such a sensation. The theft 'of tho so-called Duchess of Devonshire from Messrs. Ajsnew's on tho night of May'2s, 1877, ami that of pictures I>V Gainsborough and heynolus from Mr. Charles Wcrtheimcr's on February 12, 1907, are almost,insignificant by comparison.