Leonardo da Vinci, the creator of the famous Mona Lisa, was an Italian painter and sculptor, yet his most celebrated work doesn't reside in his homeland. Instead, the masterpiece hangs in the Louvre Museum in Paris, sparking an ongoing cultural dispute between Italy and France. The question of why this iconic painting remains in France rather than Italy has generated heated debates, particularly during significant anniversaries of da Vinci's life and work.
The fact that the Mona Lisa has been displayed in France since 1797, rather than in Italy where it arguably belongs based on its origins, continues to fuel discussions among art historians, politicians, and cultural enthusiasts. The debate reached particularly intense levels in 2019 when the world commemorated the 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death, reigniting calls from Italian officials for the painting's return.
As the most famous exhibit in the entire Louvre, the Mona Lisa holds tremendous significance in what is considered the world's largest and most important art collection. Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece attracts millions of visitors annually to the French museum. The oil painting was created between 1503 and 1506 in Florence, which was then the home of the Italian Renaissance genius. However, the artwork remained in its birthplace for only about 13 years before beginning its journey to France.
According to a documentary from the Arte series "Karambolage," King Francis I invited the already 64-year-old da Vinci to France in 1518. The artist brought several of his paintings with him, intending to continue working on them during his travels, including the now world-famous portrait of a woman without eyebrows – the Mona Lisa. During his visit, the French king reportedly purchased the painting from da Vinci and hung it in his castle at Fontainebleau.
The French royal chambers were merely the first stop in the Mona Lisa's long journey through various locations. Over the following years, the painting moved between different palaces, including the Tuileries Palace, the Louvre Palace, and Versailles. It even spent time in Napoleon Bonaparte's bedroom before he returned it to the Louvre in 1802. This constant movement between royal residences demonstrates the high regard French nobility held for da Vinci's work.
Even when the Mona Lisa wasn't nearly as famous as it is today, there were already Italians who longed to see it returned to their homeland. One such individual was craftsman Vincenzo Peruggia, who stole the painting in 1911 in what became one of art history's most famous thefts. Peruggia hid the masterpiece in a suitcase for approximately two years before being caught while attempting to sell it in Florence. He later testified that his intention had been to bring the Mona Lisa back to Italy, viewing his theft as a patriotic act to reclaim Italian cultural heritage.
The question of how the Mona Lisa came to France may be settled historically, but this doesn't mean it must remain there permanently – at least according to some Italian politicians, many of whom hold populist views. The 500th anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci's death in 2019 provided these officials with a platform to make their positions clear regarding the painting's location.
France had planned a major exhibition honoring the artist, based on an agreement signed with the Italian Ministry of Culture in 2017 that was designed to facilitate the exchange of significant artworks between the two nations. However, this agreement faced increasing resistance in Italy. Among the most vocal critics was Lucia Borgonzoni, who became the new Undersecretary of Culture in 2018. She described the agreed lending conditions as untenable and argued that Italy would be culturally subjugating itself through such arrangements.
Borgonzoni found it particularly outrageous that almost all of Leonardo's significant works, led by the Mona Lisa, would be displayed in France for months. Her protests and those of like-minded officials led to delays in implementing the cultural exchange. However, despite the political opposition and cultural tensions, the lending arrangements were ultimately carried out, allowing the exhibition to proceed as planned.
It remains highly unlikely that the Mona Lisa will ever return to Italy on a permanent basis. Leonardo da Vinci himself brought the painting to France and sold it to the French king, which is how it entered the Louvre's collection. Today, under French law, the Mona Lisa is classified as an "inalienable national cultural property," meaning the oil painting cannot be sold, given away, or permanently loaned to another institution or country.
Furthermore, legal experts and art historians emphasize a crucial point: the fact that Leonardo da Vinci was born in Italy does not establish any ownership rights to his works, particularly when those works were legally sold during the artist's lifetime. The Mona Lisa's journey from Italy to France was legitimate, involving a proper transaction between the artist and the French monarch. This historical reality, combined with centuries of French stewardship and current legal protections, ensures that the woman with the enigmatic smile will remain French, despite having been painted by an Italian master in an Italian city over 500 years ago.
