After trying to break the safety glass surrounding Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, videos urging artists to “think about the earth” circulated online. The painting was harmless, Louvre spokeswoman Nadia Refsey said in an email confirming the incident.
The Paris Attorney’s Office said It will begin the investigation on Monday by email The incident took place after the teenager was admitted to the hospital.
A clip “Think of the earth. There are men who destroy the earth. Think. The artists tell you: Think of the earth. That’s why I did this.” According to the Associated Press.
Other clips showed staff cleaning up what looked like white cake or cream from the bulletproof safety glass around the 16th century painting.
The Mona Lisa, housed in the world’s tallest museum, has been targeted before.
In 1911, the painting was stolen by a museum employee. In 1956, in two separate incidents, it was struck by acid and rock, after which the painting was sealed in glass to prevent further damage. Decades later, in 2009, the AP reported that a woman attacked it with a porcelain cup.
