Louis Béroud was a French painter active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was known for his views of Paris — often of strikingly complex architectural subjects — and views of ornate interiors, in particular interior views of the Louvre museum.
Béroud was registered as a copyist at the Louvre and did several paintings of other copyists at work, as well as his fanciful interpretation of a painter surprised as his subject comes alive.
It was while painting his copy of Da Vinci’s La Gioconda (The Mona Lisa, image of Béroud’s copy above, bottom) that he came in to the museum one morning to find Da Vinci’s painting gone.
After inquiring of the staff if the painting was out for photography, it was discovered that it had been stolen.
(Yes, the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in 1911. It was subsequently found and restored to its place, but not without some interesting speculation as to the nature of the crime.)
Another wonderful post, Charley! As soon as I started scrolling down I felt like I was wandering through David McCullough’s “The Greater Journey” and the Louvre, at the same time! Gotta go, but, thanks for this post.
The Mona Lisa was stolen to avenge Italy.
It took Léonardo 4 years to paint La Gioconda, but how long did Béroud to finish his copy?
Picasso stole it and framed his friends.