ART THIEVES MADE HER FAMOUS A Little-Known Painting Caused Worldwide Frenzy On Aug. 21, 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia made history and immortalized a once unnoticed painting. Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” was stolen long before the iconic painting was heavily secured as it is now. Peruggia and two other Italian handymen stole the now-infamous portrait from the Louvre. What ensued is one of the most internationally followed thefts of modern times.
GRILLED HALIBUT WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE
Inspired by FoodAndWine.com
Ingredients
• 1 tsp kosher salt • 1/4 tsp black pepper • 1/2 cup olive oil • 4 6-oz skin-on halibut fillets
• 1 16-oz jar roasted red bell peppers, drained • 5 garlic cloves • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar • 2 tsp honey
Historian James Zug shared with National
Public Radio the odd nature of Peruggia’s choice of art, as “the ‘Mona Lisa’ wasn’t even the most
Directions 1. In a food processor or blender, mix bell peppers, garlic, vinegar, honey, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Transfer sauce to a bowl; whisk in oil. 2. Into a large plastic zipper bag, pour 1 cup of sauce; add halibut fillets and seal bag; turn to coat fillets. Let marinate in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Reserve remaining sauce for serving. 3. Preheat a grill to medium-high (400–450 F). Remove halibut from marinade; scrape off excess. 4. On oiled grill grates, arrange fillets and grill, covered, until fish flakes easily, 4–5 minutes per side. 5. Transfer fillets to serving plates or a large platter. Drizzle with reserved sauce. Serve alongside preferred veggies and crusty bread.
famous painting in its gallery, let alone in the Louvre.” The painting was so inconspicuous that it took a whole 28 hours before anyone realized it was missing.
Headlines ran worldwide of the mysterious theft and even pointed suspicion at the famous American art lover and tycoon J.P. Morgan and renowned artist Pablo Picasso! Tensions were building in Europe as World War I was imminent, and that soon led to suspicions of German interference. The Louvre was shut down for nearly a week amid the frenzy but soon reopened with an empty space where the “Mona Lisa” once hung, bringing in countless spectators. It actually took an entire 28 months before the painting was finally returned. When Peruggia and his crew could not sell the picture due to the sheer magnitude of the investigation, they tried one last-ditch effort over a year later to sell it, only for them to be reported and finally arrested. His sentence? Eight months in prison! After his capture, the art thief changed his story from looking to sell the painting to wanting to return the “Mona Lisa” to her country of origin as a symbol of national pride. Noah Charney, a professor of art history and author, explained that the theft made the “Mona Lisa” famous. “There was nothing that really distinguished it per se, other than it was a very good work by a very famous artist — that’s until it was stolen,” Charney detailed. “If a different one of Leonardo’s works had been stolen, then that would have been the most famous work in the world — not the ‘Mona Lisa.’”
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