The Mona Lisa has been vandalized with soup, cake and even a teacup. The painting, currently held at the Louvre Museum in central Paris, has survived all of this with her glass casing.
Leonardo da Vinci, artist and engineer, painted a masterpiece in the 1500s. That staple piece is still prominent today. What the Italian artist and inventor may not have expected was for people to be throwing food at her many, many years later.
The last two incidents were carried out by climate activists in an attempt to draw attention to their cause.
Back in 2022, cake was spread across the Mona Lisa by what looked like an old woman in a wheelchair. In reality, it was a 36-year-old man in a disguise.
The oil painting is nearly impossible to harm though, because its display is made of thick steel and plated with rear armor made out of high resistance steel. On top of that it is protected by bullet proof glass.
“Think of the Earth!” he said as he defaced the Mona Lisa. “There are people who are destroying the Earth! Think about it. Artists tell you, ‘Think of the Earth.’ That’s why I did this.” The man was later detained and put in a psychiatric unit.
Just two years later, the Mona Lisa was, once again, attacked, this time with pumpkin soup as the chosen vehicle. These two climate activists advocated for a more sustainable food system. They shouted slogans and demanded the government address low wages and other issues. They wanted to draw attention to unsustainable food production and hunger in France. The two activists were later arrested. It has been reported they may escape prosecution now and instead be ordered to make a donation.
People are curious to know if these acts are actually making any change.
“No, I don’t think it’s effective at all,” said Adina Thomas, a sophomore nursing major. “I understand trying to gain attention and spread awareness, but I truly think that there are many other more efficient ways to do this and actually make a positive impact rather than trying to ruin art, which I think, ultimately, will make people look down on them instead of wanting to join the cause.”
Maci Martin is on the same page when she says, “I honestly don’t understand why people keep throwing things at the Mona Lisa,” said Maci Martin, a freshman education major. “A question I ask myself is, ‘Has any real change occurred from climate change activists throwing food items at the Mona Lisa?’ If no real change has occurred, why do these activists keep putting themselves in situations where they will get in trouble with the law?”
The beautiful oil painting can’t seem to get a break from all the food throwing. But why here? It seems to be that because she is such a staple to the world, people use her as a way to get in contact with the government.
“I feel like the Mona Lisa has been such a staple point for centuries now,” said Kevin Stinson-Gallegos, a freshman music education major. “Everyone knows what it is. Protesting by defacing the Mona Lisa will get major attention, but it isn’t right. On the contrary, they are getting the point across in some way or another. They definitely did get publicity, and any publicity is good publicity.”
Despite being stolen, caked, souped, spray-painted, razor-bladed and ruined with acid, the Mona Lisa remains intact. The Mona Lisa is still being held behind bulletproof glass in the gallery of the Louvre in Paris and has remained a part of the museum’s collection since 1804.
