My favorite story in the history of art and human nature begins on
Aug. 21, 1911, when the "Mona Lisa" was stolen from the Louvre.
During the 2 1/2 - year period before it was recovered and returned
to the museum, more people came to stare at the empty wall where
Da Vinci's masterpiece no longer hung than had visited in the 10
previous years to see the painting itself.
-- Arend Flick. Los Angeles Times 8/29/90