A curious incident at the Louvre Museum.
Several videos published this Sunday on social networks report that a man would have thrown a piece of cake against the window protecting the Mona Lisa, masterpiece of Leonardo da Vinci, exhibited at the Louvre museum in Paris.
The facts, again reported by the Spanish daily El Pais, took place on Sunday at midday, according to several witnesses.
Contacted on Monday, the Louvre Museum has not yet responded to our requests.
Attacking La Gioconda with a cake @lagioconda @monnalisa @cakeinface pic.twitter.com/2AurYY3PaY
— Sergio Migliaccio (@MSergio_) May 29, 2022
“It seems unreal to me, but a man dressed as an old lady got up from a wheelchair and tried to break the protective glass of the Mona Lisa.
He then spread cake on the window, and threw roses around him before being subdued by security, ”says a user on Twitter.
“I just saw a man throw a piece of cake at the Mona Lisa,” described another, at 1:30 p.m.
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
Several videos finally show members of the security washing the glass protecting the canvas.
A wheelchair is facing the Mona Lisa, in front of the security cordon that museum visitors should not normally pass.
The chair is then taken away by one of the guards.
La Gioconda se lleva un tartazo 😱😱🙈🙈
Por segundos no lo vi live.
Pero el grito lo escuche!
pic.twitter.com/fOVZb2CSEX
— Sara Algaba Maye 💚 (@Sara_Algaba) May 29, 2022
The man responsible for the incident said he wanted to draw attention to the environmental crisis.
We can see him, dressed in white and wearing a wig, speaking in a short sequence published on social networks.
“Think of the Earth”
“Think of the Earth.
There are people who are destroying the Earth.
Think about it.
Artists tell you:
think of the Earth
.
That's why I did this.
Think of the planet,” shouts the man in the gallery, surrounded by several members of security who urge him towards the exit.
Can anybody translate what ole dude was saying as they where escorting him out?😂 pic.twitter.com/Uy2taZ4ZMm
— Lukeee🧃 (@lukeXC2002) May 29, 2022
The painting of the Mona Lisa had already been the object of several attempts at degradation.
One of the most recent dates back to the summer of 2009, when a visitor threw a cup against the protective glass.
If the object had indeed broken during the impact against the window, the painting had not been touched.
At the time, the management of the Louvre Museum announced that it had filed a complaint against the Russian tourist who threw the cup.