By: HISTORY.com Editors

1911

Guillaume Apollinaire is arrested for stealing the Mona Lisa

Published: November 13, 2009Last Updated: May 27, 2025

French poet Guillaume Apollinaire is arrested and jailed on suspicion of stealing Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa from the Louvre museum in Paris.

The 31-year-old poet was known for his radical views and support for extreme avant-garde art movements, but his origins were shrouded in mystery. Today, it is believed he was born in Rome and raised in Italy. He appeared in Paris at age 20 and quickly mixed into the city’s bohemian set. His first volume of poetry, The Rotting Magician, appeared in 1909, followed by a story collection in 1910. A supporter of Cubism, he published a book about the subject, Cubist Painters, in 1913. The same year, he published his most esteemed work, Alcools, where he used a variety of poetic forms and traditions to capture everyday street speech. In 1917, his experimental play The Breasts of Tiresias was produced, for which he coined the term “surrealist.”

Apollinaire’s mysterious background and radical views led authorities to view him as a dangerous foreigner and prime suspect in the Mona Lisa heist, which took place August 22. No evidence surfaced, and Apollinaire was released after five days. Two years later, a former employee of the Louvre, Vincenzo Peruggia, was arrested while trying to sell the famous painting to an art dealer.

The Heist that Made the 'Mona Lisa' Famous

In 1911, a former Louvre employee perpetrated one of the greatest art heists in history.

By: Evan Andrews

Timeline

Also on This Day in History

Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on September 7th

1776

World’s first submarine attack

On September 7, 1776, during the Revolutionary War, the American submersible craft Turtle attempts to attach a time bomb to the hull of British Admiral Richard Howe’s flagship Eagle in New York Harbor. It was the first use of a submarine in warfare. Submarines were first built by Dutch inventor Cornelius van Drebel in the […]

2:08m read

1813

United States nicknamed Uncle Sam

Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York, who supplied barrels of beef to the United States Army during the War of 1812, stamped the barrels with “U.S.” for United States, but soldiers began referring to the grub as “Uncle Sam’s.” Uncle Sam eventually gained widespread acceptance as the nickname for—and personification of—the U.S. government.

2:26m read

1864

General Sherman orders civilians to evacuate Atlanta

In preparation for his march to the sea, Union General William T. Sherman orders residents of Atlanta, Georgia, to evacuate the city. Even though Sherman had just successfully captured Atlanta with minimal losses, he was worried about his supply lines, which stretched all the way to Louisville, Kentucky. With Confederate cavalry leader Nathan Bedford Forrest […]

1:52m read

1876

Minnesotans attack the James-Younger criminal gang

Attempting a bold daytime robbery of the Northfield Minnesota bank, the James-Younger gang suddenly finds itself surrounded by angry townspeople and is nearly wiped out on September 7, 1876. The bandits began with a diversion: five of the men galloped through the center of town, hollering and shooting their pistols in the air. As the […]

1:52m read

1936

Rock ‘n’ roll legend Buddy Holly is born

On September 7, 1936, Charles Hardin Holley, later known as Buddy Holly, is born in Lubbock, Texas. The lanky, bespectacled musician would have an outsize influence on rock and roll that would far outlast his tragically shortened career. By 1956, Buddy Holly was still an unknown, but he was blazing a trail that future giants […]

1:04m read

1940

The Blitz begins as Germany bombs London

On September 7, 1940, 300 German bombers raid London, in the first of 57 consecutive nights of bombing. This bombing “blitzkrieg” (lightning war) would continue until May 1941. After the successful occupation of France, it was only a matter of time before the Germans turned their sights across the Channel to England. Hitler wanted a […]

2:02m read

1968

Protesters disrupt the Miss America Pageant

On September 7, 1968, the Miss America America pageant is disrupted by feminist protests. That night, 50 women—one representing each state of the United States—prepared to be judged on their beauty by millions of eyes across the country, in the 41st annual Miss America pageant. But this year would be different. As the contestants walked […]

2:50m read

1977

U.S. agrees to transfer Panama Canal to Panama

In Washington, President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian dictator Omar Torrijos sign a treaty agreeing to transfer control of the Panama Canal from the United States to Panama at the end of the 20th century. The Panama Canal Treaty also authorized the immediate abolishment of the Canal Zone, a 10-mile-wide, 40-mile-long U.S.-controlled area that bisected the […]

1996

Tupac Shakur is shot

Actor and hip-hop artist Tupac Shakur is shot several times in Las Vegas after attending a boxing match. The 25-year-old died one week later.

2:04m read

Arts & Entertainment

42 videos

Arts & Entertainment

The True Story of the Real-Life Winnie-the-Pooh

A real-life black bear owned by a Canadian soldier serving in World War I inspired the famous children’s book.

Arts & Entertainment

How ‘Who’s on First?’ Became a Classic Comedy Routine

Abbott and Costello turned a simple baseball misunderstanding into one of the most famous comedy routines of all time.

Arts & Entertainment

Lucille Ball: 6 Surprising Facts About Her Life and Career

The star of ‘I Love Lucy’ was also a pioneering force behind the camera.

About the author

HISTORY.com Editors

HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Christian Zapata, Cristiana Lombardo and Adrienne Donica.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.