A mysterious association claims the Mona Lisa, Leonardo Da Vinci’s masterpiece at the Louvre: it’s called International Refunds, nothing is known about who founded it, but it is not the first time that it has moved for similar requests on other paintings. The French Council of State is called to rule on the unusual request to “declare non-existent” the decision of King Francis I and to take back the painting, all “on behalf of the descendants of the painter’s heirs”. And he invokes, in the event of victory, the “radiation” of the painting from the Louvre inventory.
In the past, the association has already made similar requests for paintings less “emblematic than the Mona Lisa”. All systematically rejected. Contrary to many masterpieces taken from Italy by Napoleonic plundering – such as “The Wedding at Cana” by Paolo Caliari known as Veronese – the Mona Lisa has a different history. In the winter of 1516, Leonardo was in fact welcomed beyond the Alps by the King of France, Francis I, who was passionate about his prodigious talent. Among his luggage, Leonardo had with him some scrolls of his paintings, including the Mona Lisa (made between 1503 and 1506), which according to the official version he gave to the French sovereign in exchange for food, accommodation and compensation. The Mona Lisa has therefore been legitimately preserved in the Louvre since 1797 and should remain there for a long time to come.