Vincenzo Peruggia is resurrected on this amazing t-shirt designed by Oliver Maxwell Kupper for Free Gold Watch. In 1911 Vincenzo Peruggia perpetrated what has been described as the greatest art theft of the 20th century. Common reports state that Perrugia hid inside the museum on Sunday, August 20, knowing that the museum would be closed the following day, and emerged the next day, entered the Salon Carre where the Mona Lisa hung, took the painting off the wall, and then to a stairwell where he removed it from a protective case, hid it under his smock and made a run for it. In actuality, Peruggia did not hide in museum overnight, but simply walked in at 7 a.m. Monday morning with a workman. Moreover, Peruggia did not hide the painting under his smock - the Mona Lisa is 21x30 inches - too big - he took off his smock and wrapped it around the painting. He then left the Louvre with it, passing a guard station which had been left unattended by a guard who had gone to obtain a pail of water. Vincenzo hid the painting in his apartment in Paris. Supposedly, when police arrived to search his apartment and question him, they accepted his alibi that he had been working at a different location on the day of the theft. After keeping the painting hidden in a trunk in his apartment for two years, Peruggia returned to Italy with it. He kept it in his apartment in Florence but grew impatient and was finally caught when he contacted Alfredo Geri, the owner of an art gallery in Florence, Italy. Geri's story conflicts with Peruggia's, but it was clear that Peruggia expected a reward for returning the painting to what he regarded as its "homeland." Geri called in Giovanni Poggi, director of the Uffizi Gallery, who authenticated the painting. Poggi and Geri, after taking the painting for "safekeeping," informed the police, who arrested Peruggia at his hotel. After its theft, the painting was exhibited all over Italy with banner headlines rejoicing its return and then returned to the Louvre in 1913. Peruggia was released from jail after a short time and served in the Italian army during World War I. He got married, and returned to Paris to continue his profession as a painter. He died on October 8, 1925 (his 44th birthday). Images of full collection of tees coming soon. As a special exclusive to Pas Un Autre readers inquire within on how to acquire the above t-shirt info@pasunautreblog.com
update: amendments (see below comment) to this post have been made by Joseph Medeiros who is currently producing a documentary about Vincenzo Peruggia entitled The Missing Piece which elucidates many of the falsehoods and rumors associated with the legend of Vincenzo Peruggia. www.monalisaismissing.com