Russian tourist hurls mug at Mona Lisa

updated 12:52 p.m. ET Aug. 11, 2009

PARIS - The Louvre Museum says a Russian visitor hurled an empty terra cotta mug at the Mona Lisa.

A museum spokesman says the canvas of the Da Vinci masterpiece was undamaged in the attack last week, though the mug shattered.

He said Tuesday small cracks appeared in the glass protecting the museum’s most popular possession, but they will soon be fixed.

The painting’s security alarms went off immediately and police whisked the woman away, while viewing of the painting continued as usual. The spokesman is not authorized to be named according to museum policy.

Paris police said the woman was taken to a psychiatric ward after the incident, but wouldn’t say any more about who she is or why she targeted the painting.

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