Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Who was the man who stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911, hid it in his flat for two years and brought it back to Italy - and what were his motivations? An unsolved mystery. Until now. Writer-director Joe Medeiros, former head writer of The Tonight Show, traces the path of Vincenzo Peruggia, charged with the 1911 theft of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa from The Louvre, and finds the story of a daughter mourning the father she never knew and a country recovering from old wounds. Combining historical photographs, animation and interviews with Peruggia’s descendants, Medeiros answers why and how the man called ‘Macaroni’ by his French co-workers absconded with and kept the legendary painting for two years. This riveting, often humorous documentary portrays a man struggling to find his way in the world and make his family proud. An investigative trip into the history of the most famous painting of all times.
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This channel is part of the History Hit Network. Any queries, please contact owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com
Who was the man who stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911, hid it in his flat for two years and brought it back to Italy - and what were his motivations? An unsolved mystery. Until now. Writer-director Joe Medeiros, former head writer of The Tonight Show, traces the path of Vincenzo Peruggia, charged with the 1911 theft of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa from The Louvre, and finds the story of a daughter mourning the father she never knew and a country recovering from old wounds. Combining historical photographs, animation and interviews with Peruggia’s descendants, Medeiros answers why and how the man called ‘Macaroni’ by his French co-workers absconded with and kept the legendary painting for two years. This riveting, often humorous documentary portrays a man struggling to find his way in the world and make his family proud. An investigative trip into the history of the most famous painting of all times.
You can now become a History Hit member right here on YouTube! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.
Get an exclusive release every week by signing up here: bit.ly/4pyExyn
This channel is part of the History Hit Network. Any queries, please contact owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com
