The Mona Lisa

In the January 14, 2019 New Yorker magazine, Jake Halpern wrote about an art thief. I learned that paintings may increase in value after they’re stolen. Apparently, that is due to the scarcity effect. Also, stealing valuable art is not as lucrative as the movies make it out to be. There was an art robbery at the Louvre in 1911. One painting that was not that remarkable at the time was stolen. Strangely, the theft wasn’t noticed for 28 hours and the painting was missing for two years. 

When the painting was recovered people seemed quite happy. But they hadn’t cared that much before. It might be helpful to know that the stolen, and then recovered painting was the Mona Lisa. Halpern suggests that the theft and eventual return made it the most famous painting in the world.  

I wonder if we don’t value things (but mostly people) as much as we should while they’re still around...