Beginning in 1938, the threat of war prompted a large-scale evacuation of France’s public art collec

Beginning in 1938, the threat of war prompted a large-scale evacuation of France’s public art collections. The storage sites chosen for works of art were châteaux, tranquil locations in the heart of the French countryside, far from strategic targets, and thus escaping the imminent danger of bombing. On August 28, 1939, the Mona Lisa left the Louvre and on September 3, as war had been declared, a decision was taken to ensure that all of the most precious works would leave the premises by the end of the day.Stowed away in several hundred crates; sculptures, decorative objects and 3,690 paintings were moved out of major museums. The journey was a logistical feat of packaging and truck loading. The routes of France soon thronged with thirty-seven convoys joining the crowds already leaving the city. The Mona Lisa herself was moved five times during the war. She managed to stay out of Nazi hands, and returned safely to the Louvre after the war. For more about French art, the efforts to hide them, and the Nazis’ attempts to capture them, read here. -- source link

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