An attack on the world-famous Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece, The Mona Lisa took place at the Louvre in Paris on Sunday.  Video footage taken by a museumgoer was shared on Twitter of the bizarre event. 

The police arrested the man and took him to the police psychiatric infirmary.

The Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into "the attempt of damaging a cultural property." 

Mona Lisa vandal had elaborate disguise

The vandal was a 36-year-old man in a wheelchair. He was wearing lipstick, and a wig, disguised as an old woman. He suddenly jumped up, threw a cake on the protective glass covering the artwork. 

Cake icing was smeared all over the protective glass covering the painting. He also spread rose petals around the floor of the museum.

The man screamed out in French, "Think of planet Earth, there are people destroying it," while he was being taken away by security guards. 

The Louvre has filed a complaint with the Paris police. And issued a statement.

"A visitor simulated a disability in order to use a wheelchair to approach the work, which was installed in a secure display case. The Louvre applied its usual procedures for people with reduced mobility, allowing them to admire this major work of art," the statement said.

"While standing near the painting, 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."

Videos are also online of a museum staff member cleaning off the icing from the Mona Lisa’s glass.

Not the first attack at the Louvre 

The "Mona Lisa" dates back to 1503, when it was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. It has been called a masterpiece for hundreds of years. It may be the most famous painting in the world. And millions of visitors each year line up at the Louvre. 

The artwork is 2.5 feet tall and less than 2 feet wide. And it is protected by shatter resistant bullet-proof glass.

Attempts to vandalize art happen from time-to-time.  Earlier this year a painting was defaced by a museum guard in the Yeltsin center in Russia.

There have been other attempts to vandalize or steal the portrait. A museum employee stole the Mona Lisa in 1911. It was found and returned to the Louvre.  

In the 1950’s there was an acid attack on the bottom of the canvas. The painting was restored, and security measures were beefed up. 

In 2009, an angry woman threw a ceramic cup at the painting. The cup broke but the painting was completely unharmed.

Fortunately, the Mona Lisa survived this latest attack, as well. And tourists can see her smiling in the Louvre.