A 36-year-old man disguised as an old lady in a wheelchairsmeared a cakelike substance on the Mona Lisa on Sunday. He has been referred to a police psychiatric unit following the apparent climate-related incident at the Louvre in Paris.
Videos circulated online of the man urging artists to “think of the Earth” after attempting to break the protective glass around Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, which remained unharmed.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said Monday that it was opening an investigation into damage of cultural artifacts after hospitalizing the young man, according to the Associated Press.
One clip showed security guards escorting the man out as he yelled in French, “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,” according to the Associated Press.
Other clips showed staff cleaning off what appeared to be white cake or cream from the bulletproof protective glass around the 16th-century painting.
The Louvre did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Mona Lisa, housed in one of the world’s most storied museums, has been targeted before.
In 1911, the painting was stolen by a museum employee. In 1956, in two separate incidents, it was hit by acid and a rock, after which the painting was encased in glass to prevent further damage. Decades later, in 2009 a woman attacked it with a ceramic cup, the AP reported.
