Vincenzo Peruggia was born on August 10, 1881 in Italy. He grew up in a working-class family and as a young man, he worked as a handyman. In 1908, Peruggia served a short jail sentence for attempted robbery, which would foreshadow his future as a criminal.
In August 1911, Peruggia committed one of the most notorious art thefts in history when he stole the world-famous painting, the Mona Lisa, from The Louvre in Paris. The theft of the iconic portrait by Leonardo da Vinci shocked the world and sparked a massive investigation to find the missing masterpiece.
Peruggia's criminal act did not go unnoticed for long. He was eventually caught after he attempted to sell the stolen painting to art gallery owner Alfredo Geri, who promptly reported him to the police. Peruggia was sentenced to one year and seventeen days in prison for his crime, but he only served seven months before being released.
Despite his short-lived success as an art thief, Peruggia's name would live on in infamy. His grandson, Silvio Peruggia, was featured in the 2012 documentary "Mona Lisa is Missing," which explored the enduring mystery and intrigue surrounding the stolen masterpiece.
Peruggia's audacious theft of the Mona Lisa has been immortalized in various forms of media. In a 1956 episode of the TV show “You Are There,” titled "The Recovery of Mona Lisa," Peruggia was portrayed by actor Vito Scotti. His story continues to captivate audiences and serve as a cautionary tale about the allure and consequences of art crime.
Vincenzo Peruggia's daring heist of the Mona Lisa remains one of the most infamous art thefts in history. His brazen act of stealing the iconic painting from The Louvre in 1911 shocked the world and continues to intrigue audiences to this day. Despite serving time in prison for his crime, Peruggia's legacy lives on through his grandson and in popular culture portrayals of his audacious crime.
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