The theft and recovery of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa (1911–1913) marked a pivotal moment in art history, culminating in its brief exhibition in Italy before returning to the Louvre. While critics have extensively studied the Florence and Milan exhibitions, little attention has been paid to the Roman episode during which it was displayed at the Galleria Borghese. This event, which marks the first time the museum attracted a mass public, played a crucial role in shaping 20th-century exhibition culture. By examining archival, journalistic, and visual sources, this study explores the political and cultural significance of the Roman exhibition, its impact on debates about national identity, and its lasting influence on museum history.
Vanda Lisanti (2025) studied this question.