French minister proposes loaning Mona Lisa to museums worldwide

French Culture Minister Françoise Nyssen has proposed loaning the Mona Lisa to museums around the world, a radical departure from the painting's history of rarely leaving the Louvre. The last time the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece traveled was in 1974, for exhibitions in Tokyo and Moscow. Earlier loans included Washington and New York in 1963, and during World War II it was moved for safety. In 1911, the painting was stolen by Italian decorator Vincenzo Peruggia, who kept it hidden in his Paris home for two years before being arrested; the work was returned to the Louvre. Nyssen stated, "I don't see why certain things should remain confined," while emphasizing conservation concerns. The mayor of Lens, Sylvain Robert, has already requested the painting for the Louvre-Lens, an outpost of the Paris museum. President Emmanuel Macron has shown attention to the idea, and Nyssen's "why not?" suggests possible travel. Previous campaigns to return the Mona Lisa to Italy, including a 2012 official request from Florence and a 2006 outcry after Italy's World Cup win over France, had failed.