Mona Lisa attacked by cake wielding tourist, not the strangest attack

The Mona Lisa has seen many high-profile vandalism attempts but this one takes the cake.

On Sunday, the world's most famous painting was the target of an attack by custard tart.

The Mona Lisa was attacked by a man, reportedly disguised as an old woman, attempted to break the bullet-proof glass which protects her and smear cake over the 520-year-old painting.

The attacker smuggled the baked projectile into the Louvre Museum on Paris's Rue de Rivoli, while in a wheelchair, lipstick and a wig for disguise.

"An old lady ran up to the painting and started punching it before smearing cake all over it," twenty year old visitor, Luke Sundberg, told PA news agency. According to witnesses the whole thing was over in around ten seconds.

Can anybody translate what ole dude was saying as they where escorting him out?😂 pic.twitter.com/Uy2taZ4ZMm

— Lukeee🧃 (@lukeXC2002) May 29, 2022

Rattled, the crowd were not sure whether to panic or laugh. According to Le Figaro the attacker, who targeted "La Joconde" with a 'custard tart', was a 36-year-old man who was admitted to a psychiatric hospital by police.

A written statement from the French gallery confirmed that the "visitor simulated a disability in order to use a wheelchair to approach the work." The Lourvre Museum was quick to establish the painting was left unscathed.

"This individual threw a pastry he had hidden in his personal belongings at the Mona Lisa's glass case. This act had no effect on the painting, which was not damaged in any way."

He is currently under investigation for an "attempt to damage cultural property".

The man who was escorted out of the museum by security could be heard saying "Think of the Earth. That's why I did this. Think of the planet".

It might be among the more bizarre attacks on the painting but it is hardly the first.

Here are just some of the odd events inspired by the painting:

Mona Lisa: Portrait and projectiles

Paint, acid and the odd teacup have all been hurled at Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece over the years. Attacks became so regular that in 1950s, bullet proof glass was installed to protect the painting.

In 1956 two attacks, the first involving acid the second involving a rock, seriously damaged the painting.

In 1974, while on loan to Tokyo National Museum, she was the target of a vandal tagged the picture with red paint.

In 2009 a Russian woman threw a cup of hot tea at the painting.

Perhaps the most brazen, and successful, attack on the painting was in 1911, when thieves stole the picture. It was later discovered that two Italian employees of the Louvre had smuggled the picture out of the gallery, who attempted to sell it to the Uffizi in Florence.

Missing for almost three years, the picture was reprinted widely in newspapers of the day, leading to the painting finding international fame. Prior to this event, it was a little known exhibit among a catalogue of hundreds of thousands.

Today the Mona Lisa, 'jocund' 16 century Italian woman, is visited by around 9 million people a year.