Meet the Man Who Stole the ‘Mona Lisa’ THE MOST FAMOUS ART HEIST YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF
Kevin Built a Firepit!
This National Campfire Day, Try His Signature S’mores
One hundred and nine years ago this month, one man — or was it three? — fled from the Louvre Museum in Paris, carrying what would quickly become the world’s most famous painting: Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa.”
Did you know that Aug. 10 is National Campfire Day? Kevin just found out about the holiday a few months ago, but the timing couldn’t be more perfect! This summer, he and Tracy installed a firepit in their backyard. That means that this National Campfire Day, the Patricks will celebrate in style. “My son Michael is almost 5, so I told my wife the firepit was for him, but to be honest, it’s also for me!” says Kevin. “I’m looking forward to a lot of backyard adventures and easily accessible s’mores.”
Historical accounts of the theft agree only on who was the ringleader: 30-year-old Louvre handyman Vincenzo Peruggia. He was a house painter, an immigrant, the bearer of a glorious Monopoly Man mustache, and a vehement Italian patriot. At some point on the morning of Aug. 21, 1911, Peruggia lifted the glass case he himself had constructed to house the “Mona Lisa” and smuggled the painting from the building. Some versions of the story say Peruggia was assisted by two brothers, fellow Italian handymen Vincenzo and Michele Lancelotti. NPR reports the trio spent the night preceding the theft huddled in one of the Louvre’s supply closets, lying in wait to steal the portrait. In his documentary about the theft, director Joe Medeiros claims Peruggia acted alone, driven by an obsession with the work and a dream of returning the painting to Italy. Either way, we know that Peruggia successfully spirited the painting back to his one-bedroom apartment. There it lay concealed in a false-bottomed trunk for more than two years. This period of mysterious absence (during which police grilled and dismissed Peruggia as a suspect in favor of J.P. Morgan, Pablo Picasso, and playwright Guillaume Apollinaire) is what made the “Mona Lisa” world famous. Peruggia was eventually caught attempting to sell the painting in Italy. He pleaded guilty and spent eight months in jail. After his release, he enlisted in the Italian army to fight in World War I, surviving the war only to die of a heart attack on his 44th birthday. Though Peruggia married after the war, some suspect that the true love of his life was the “Mona Lisa” herself. In a CNN article, author and art history professor Noah Charney speculates that over his two years with her, Peruggia developed romantic feelings for the portrait. Perhaps he fell victim to a kind of “reverse Stockholm syndrome,” Charney suggests, the captor falling in love with his hostage. “In this case,” he says, “the hostage was a work of art.”
When it comes to s’mores, Kevin has a trick up his sleeve.
“My secret to the tastiest s’mores is swapping out the chocolate for a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup,” he says. “That’s my signature twist. It’s amazing.” You don’t need to have a backyard firepit to celebrate National Campfire Day or try Kevin’s s’more recipe. If you have a gas stove, then you can roast marshmallows right in your kitchen! Another option is to head outside and take advantage of one of Georgia’s great campsites, which often come complete with fire rings. Plenty of beautiful state parks near Atlanta have camping setups, including Panola Mountain State Park, Red Top Mountain State Park, and Fort Yargo State Park. If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, Fort Yargo even has yurts for rent. A bit farther afield, Explore Georgia lists The Rock Ranch and Historic Banning Mills as two of Georgia’s coolest camping spots. At The Rock Ranch, you can stay overnight in an Old West- style covered wagon, and Historic Banning Mills offers amazing treehouses to sleep in. Hopefully you can find some time to get away and experience the outdoors this National Campfire Day. Just be sure to check online for park or venue closures before you pack up your car, as things are still subject to change due to COVID-19. If you have to cancel your out-of-town plans, remember that you always have Kevin’s stovetop s’mores to fall back on!
You can always reach Kevin directly at 404.566.8964 or Kevin@PatrickTrialLaw.com. (If you ever need it, his cell phone is 404.409.3160.)
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