What Artworks Have Thieves Stolen from the Louvre?
Mona Lisa
In 1911, an Italian museum worker hid in a storage locker at the Louvre overnight. The next day, he took the then-little-known Mona Lisa from a quiet gallery wall. He wrapped it in his work clothes, held it under his arm, and walked out of the museum.
Police found the painting two years later. The thief turned out to be an Italian nationalist. He said he committed the crime because he believed this Da Vinci masterpiece should belong to Italy.
Today, the Mona Lisa has stricter security. Museum staff now display this probably most famous item in the museum in a high-security glass case.
L’Indifférent
On the afternoon of June 11, 1939, a tour guide noticed a painting was missing from the Schlichting Gallery in the Louvre. The painting was Watteau’s L’Indifférent (The Unconcerned One).
At that time, thieves stole the painting from the Schlichting Gallery in broad daylight. No one noticed the theft at first. Finally, a tour guide found that the painting was gone.
Later, a 24-year-old Russian artist named Sergei Boguslavsky returned the painting on his own. He said he stole it to repair the artwork. In the end, judges sentenced Boguslavsky to a 300-franc fine, four years in prison, and a five-year ban from living in Paris.
Jean-Antoine Watteau was an important French painter of the Rococo period. Back then, people valued L’Indifférent at more than 7 million francs.
Portrait of a Seated Woman
In 1990, thieves stole a painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir—a famous French Impressionist artist—from the Louvre. The works of art is called Portrait of a Seated Woman. Thieves took it off its frame and stole it. To this day, people still list it as missing.
Le Chemin de Sèvres
On May 3, 1998, another famous painting was stolen from the Louvre. It was Le Chemin de Sèvres (The Path to Sèvres) by French painter Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot. It has not been found yet.
That day was a Sunday. As usual, the Louvre was open to the public for free. Around 2 p.m., a guard at the Louvre found that Le Chemin de Sèvres was stolen.
The glass case holding the painting was broken. The canvas was cut out, leaving only an empty frame. At 3 p.m., all exits of the Louvre were closed. Every visitor had to be searched before they could leave. But the stolen painting was never found.
This theft became one of the largest and most famous art thefts of its time. It drew wide attention from around the world.
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Founded in Shanghai, China, Sigurai later expanded its gallery to Hangzhou—two cities that boast profound cultural heritage and a thriving community of creative local artists. This unique advantage allows us to continuously discover fresh, original artworks that carry the essence of Chinese creativity.
Every decorative painting we offer is a hand-painted original, complete with the artist’s hand-signed signature—ensuring no two pieces are identical. From curating artworks and conducting strict quality checks to providing professional framing, we adhere to high standards at every step to guarantee excellence. Many of our collaborating artists have showcased their works in international exhibitions, and their pieces are also collected by government institutions, a testament to their artistic value and recognition.
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