An Art History Mystery, Part Two (Ep. 491)

In part two of this special fiction-meets-art-history podcast, you’ll step into the MoMA after hours, where a professional development retreat turns into something much more sinister. What begins as an inspiring evening quickly spirals into chaos when Dalí’s The Persistence of Memory disappears.

The Dalí is gone. The suspects are gathered. And the detectives are running out of time.

In the shocking conclusion to An Art History Mystery, our five art teachers—Delilah, Solomon, Madison, Amber, and Robert—return to the Museum of Modern Art for questioning. As the night deepens, stories twist, motives unravel, and the truth finally surfaces.

Who had the means? Who had the motive? And who had the opportunity to steal one of the most iconic paintings in modern art?

Listen as Detectives Kelly and Forrest piece together the clues in a finale filled with confessions, contradictions, and the ultimate reveal of the thief behind The Persistence of Memory.

Was it an act of obsession, ambition, or art itself?

Find out in this second and final episode of An Art History Mystery.

Full episode transcript below.

Resources and Links

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Transcript

Narrator:

Welcome back to an art history mystery.

This is part of Art Ed Radio brought to you by the Art of Education.

Last time, five art teachers were invited to an exclusive after-hours professional development event at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Delilah:

I’m Delilah Rose. I specialize in messy magic.

Madison:

Madison Periwinkle here, I’m so excited to be going live from the MoMA.

Solomon:

Solomon Ochre, my students work in series. We study contemporary trends, we push limits.

Amber:

Amber Russell, I teach middle school art. Basically, I get paid to dodge glitter bombs and interpret anime sketches.

Robert:

Robert Celadon. Art forgery and art heist are of interest to me.

Narrator:

It was supposed to be an inspiring weekend surrounded by masterpieces from Van Gogh, Kahlo, and Dalí, but everything changed when a Salvador Dalí painting, The Persistence of Memory, went missing.

Lavender Montgomery, Gallery Director:

What?
What?
What?
No, no, no, no, no.
Oh my gosh, how could this have happened?

Narrator:

Now the museum is locked down.
The teachers have become suspects, and detectives Kelly and Forrest Green are determined to find out who took one of the most famous works of art in history.

In this episode, we’ll follow the investigation as the detectives uncover new clues, question every teacher, and piece together the truth behind the heist. Who had the motive? Who had the opportunity? And who will confess before we leave the museum?

This is an art history mystery.

Madison has left the museum, but not the spotlight.
She is filming content throughout Midtown Manhattan.
She is on Broadway.

“Hey besties!”
At the Top of the Rock.

“Hey besties!”
And in Times Square.

“Hey besties!”

But once the police find her Instagram account, they have little trouble following and finding her.

Lavender Montgomery recalled that Robert had mentioned a Latin jazz concert earlier that evening.
A quick search confirms it.
He’s at Lincoln Center.
Robert gets pulled out of the performance—an obvious affront to his sensibilities.

Meanwhile, Amber Russell is waiting in line at a halal cart scrolling through Instagram.
She pauses when she spots Madison’s latest livestream, as she can’t quite believe what she just saw.
But since Amber hasn’t gone far, the police find her within minutes.

While the beat cops are bringing the suspects back in, detectives Kelly Green and Forrest Green are reviewing the evidence.

A few things stand out.
Cameras mysteriously go out after Madison is in the room.
Solomon spends an inordinate amount of time hovering over the painting.
Robert spends a lot of his time talking to both of them—but what does it all mean?
How can they determine how the painting went missing?

All the teachers would need to be interrogated.

Narrator:

Once the teachers had been found, they were brought back to the museum–at Lavender’s request–for questioning.

Lavender:
I wanted to show the teachers respect by bringing them back to the museum rather than down to the police station. Plus, the detectives thought they might be more relaxed in the museum and more willing to talk.

Narrator:

The detectives moved quickly to begin their investigation. All five teachers were back, and emotions were running high.

Detective Forrest:

This is Detective Forrest Green, 17th Precinct. Time is 11:12 p.m. We’re conducting interviews with five workshop attendees. A painting is missing. Dali’s Persistence of Memory. We’re treating this as a theft.

Detective Kelly:

Let’s start with the easy question. Why were you here at the MoMA?

Delilah:

Oh, I prayed I’d get in. This workshop is the kind of thing you wait your whole life for. I even wore my ‘Creativity is Contagious’ apron on the plane!

But I just wanted to learn . . . not be accused!

Solomon:

Honestly? I didn’t need this. But when MoMA invites you, you go. You show up. You raise the bar. Robert knows his stuff, but the rest of these teachers have learned a lot from me. I’m making the teaching profession better.

But to be questioned here like a common thief? This is an insult to my integrity as an artist and a professional.

Madison:

Professional development is so important. Plus, my followers love when I do museum content. It’s educational and aesthetic, and if I can get more people into art? Win-win!

And there’s no way I could have taken the painting . . . I was literally live the whole time.

Robert:

I’m here to remind the world what real art looks like. And to keep it from falling into . . . misguided hands. 

I knew that painting wasn’t safe. I told them about the Gardner Museum Heist–I told them! But of course they didn’t listen!

Amber:

Yeah, I figured Robert would be upset. 

Madison said she was live all night? You might want to check that. I was watching, and I’m not sure she was live the ENTIRE time.

I originally came because I could get PD hours for my school, I’m close to advancing on the salary scale. 

And, like, it’s New York. Dollar pizza at 2 a.m.? Life-changing.

This is kind of giving murder mystery party . . . but it’s real.

Narrator:

Maybe a little bit too real. As the gravity of the situation became apparent, both the detectives and the teachers became more agitated.

Next, the detectives worked to establish the details of the evening, the timeline, and what the suspects were doing throughout the museum.

Detective Kelly:

I’m going to need you to remember back to this evening. What you were doing, what other people were doing. Any part of the night–when you first got here until when you knew the painting was missing.

Detective Forrest:

We will take whatever information you can remember, and honestly, no detail is too small. Tell us anything and everything that you noticed.

Delilah:

I didn’t steal the painting. I could never. But… I did touch the frame. After. When it was empty. I was trying to straighten it—like I do in my classroom. Crooked frames drive me bananas.

And I wiped it with one of my smocks. I know, that’s tampering or something. I just . . . I didn’t want you to think it was me.

But I did see something else. Robert, he lingered. He always lingered. He said he was talking to the painting, which is fine–I talk to my plants! But he talked a lot to that particular painting.

Amber:

Soooo, this is wild, right? Like, actual theft here? I thought the only thing missing would be Robert’s dignity when Madison called Frida Kahlo a ‘fashion icon.’

[Pause] I didn’t steal the painting. I barely even looked at it. I was more into the… vibe, you know? The museum at night? Pretty chill place.

But, like, everyone was being weird. Solomon kept looking around to see who was watching him. Who even does that?

And Madison’s camera kept flashing this little red light when she was filming. She said it was a flash that doesn’t harm the artworks. But do you even need a flash if you’re doing video?

Madison:

Okay first of all, I’m obsessed with Dali. Like, have you seen the lobster phone? Genius. My followers freaked when they found out I was at the MoMA after hours—like, exclusive access? Yes, please.

But no. I didn’t steal the painting. I was doing what I always do. Creating content. Uplifting. Inspiring. Educating. Well… visually educating.

[pause . . . getting a little agitated]

And I stayed in the gallery a little longer because I needed a good angle. Solomon kept standing right in front of the painting, no one wants to see his nasty blazer in my reel.

Plus, have you seen that lighting? That Dali piece was lit terribly. No wonder someone wanted to rescue it.

Robert:

Was I in the gallery? Yes. I make it a point to spend time with every important work, to listen to it. Paintings speak, Detective. If only we were taught how to hear them.

Dali’s work is not simply surrealism—it is precision, symbolism, satire. That particular piece was, how do I put it? Unrestful. I sensed something wrong about it tonight. Like it knew. It knew what would happen.

Now, I mourn for it.

Solomon:

I’m not saying I wouldn’t have done a better job at lifting that painting. But no. I didn’t steal it.

I have my portfolio case. It’s all my work, there’s no stolen art. 

You want to look through it? Fine. It’s full of techniques, not trophies. I have enough technical prowess on my own, I don’t need to steal the work of others.

Detective Forrest:

So you’re just here, copying some paintings?

Solomon:

Replication is creation! Do you know what it takes to mimic a master? Years of study. Control of pigment. Every stroke exact. Most artists can’t even dream of that level of discipline.

Forrest:

But YOU can? YOU have that discipline?

And why did you try to copy this Dali so precisely?

Solomon:

Of course I can. Of course I have that discipline. 

It’s what I do. I am an EXCEPTIONAL artist.

I want my work to be remembered. If I could paint something so perfect that experts mistook it for a Dali . . . that would be more recognition than I’ve ever received.

Detective Kelly:

Or more money than you’ve ever had.

Solomon:

You think teachers want to be rich? None of us here is about the money. If I wanted money, Detective, I wouldn’t waste time teaching teenagers how to shade still lifes.

Narrator:

If that were true–if it weren’t about the money–what were their motives? Why would someone take this priceless piece of art? The detectives needed to dive a little bit deeper.

Detective Forrest:

If you were to guess… why would someone steal a painting during a teacher workshop?

Robert Celadon:

To preserve it. To protect it from commodification. From the internet. From the likes of TikTok.

Delilah:

Maybe they just wanted to be seen. We all need that sometimes. We’re always looking at the art . . . maybe someone wanted to matter as much as the art.

Solomon:

Because it’s the ultimate statement. The rest of us teach it. One of us took it. That’s legacy. That’s power.

Amber:

For the likes. For the flex. For the drama. I mean… Madison’s reel went viral and the painting wasn’t even in it. Imagine what kind of numbers she could do if she had the work itself!

Live, Laugh, Larceny! [sarcastic laugh] Her followers would eat that up.

Madison:

If I were going to do it, it’d be for art’s sake. Like, performance art. Temporary. Disruptive. Bold.

[beat]

But I didn’t. Obviously.

Detective Kelly:

That’s the third time she’s said ‘if I were going to do it.’ You don’t do little denials like that unless you’ve practiced.

Detective Forrest:

I want to take a look at her phone. Amber said she saw a red light coming from Madison’s phone, and I saw the same thing on the security tapes–right before the security tapes cut off.

Narrator:

The detectives are getting closer to cracking the case, but the solution remains elusive. Too many teachers, and too much suspicious activity.

With those varying stories, the security cameras not working, and a less than reliable security guard, the detectives work to piece together what each suspect was doing at the time of the theft.

Detective Forrest:

The painting was last confirmed on the wall at 8:49 p.m. It was gone by 8:57. Where were you during those eight minutes?

Robert:

Earlier, I noticed the security guard—Burg, was it? What a name [sigh]—Burg was laughing at their phone. Not even watching the gallery. I made a comment to Madison about it. Museums used to be temples. Now they’re playgrounds.

During that time, though, I was reflecting. Quietly. Like an adult.

Delilah:

I was trying to find my mini watercolor set. My tote had exploded—glue sticks everywhere!

Amber:

I needed a break from all of these people, so I was in the bathroom. The big one downstairs near the coat check. One of the nicer ones I’ve found in New York, honestly.

Madison:

I was with Solomon. We were talking about, like, ego in postmodernism. I think. I don’t know, he talks A LOT. He kept eyeing the Persistence of Memory, though. And messing with his bag. 

[mockingly] His special portfolio.

Solomon:

Madison? With me? No. She was definitely in the next gallery over. I saw her take some selfies there.

Detective Forrest:

Madison and Solomon trying to blame each other was . . . interesting. It confirmed a lot of what I had been thinking.

We’ve reconstructed the timeline. 8:49 p.m., the Dalí confirmed on the wall. By 8:57, it was gone. In that eight-minute window… every one of you gave us a different story.

Detective Kelly:

Five art teachers. Five stories. But when you place the evidence together, everything becomes clear.

Madison, we know you used your phone to knock out the cameras in that gallery. When we search your bag, I think we’re going to find a painting that looks an awful lot like The Persistence of Memory. We know you were parading it around New York City, getting ready to go viral with one of the most well-known paintings in the world.

Detective Forrest:

But the truth? The real Dalí painting never left the museum.

Because Solomon, when we search that precious portfolio of yours, that’s where we will find the REAL Persistence of Memory painting.

[Gasps ripple. Footsteps shuffle. Someone mutters.]

SOLOMON (blurting, panicked):
That’s—no. 

No, that’s impossible—

FORREST (cutting in):

Because the painting Madison took from the wall wasn’t the real Dalí at all.

KELLY (quiet, piercing):

You forged it. Didn’t you, Solomon?

SOLOMON:

Yes. 

I did. 

I thought I could swap it, slip the real Dalí out later. Sell it. For myself, for fame and fortune. But—Madison took it. She didn’t even know it was a forgery.

FORREST:

Madison. You didn’t steal the Dalí. You stole Solomon’s forgery.

MADISON:

Wow. Wowwwwww.

All that work, and for a fake? 

I guess you’re welcome, Solomon? I made your forgery famous. It got more views than anything you’ve ever painted.

Forrest:

But you admit it–you admit you took the painting. Why?

Madison:

So many reasons. Robert’s stories, and his constant talk about security, made me realize it would be possible to make it mine . . . at least temporarily.

Robert:

I never said you should take it!

Madison:

But you made me realize I COULD take it!

I wanted it for the story. For the drama. A Salvador Dalí painting in my hands, live on my stream? That’s viral history. 

I wasn’t going to keep it–it was always coming back to the museum.

I just wanted to . . . borrow it for the night. Elevate it. 

I wanted to make it unforgettable.

NARRATOR:
Madison’s livestream confession went viral. She gained over two million new followers, turning her crime into content. She was charged, of course, but even in court she framed it as art — a performance piece for the digital age. Her fans ate it up. For Madison, infamy was just another kind of influence.

Robert, the purist, didn’t escape unscathed. His complicity was uncovered, his condescending rants about the value of art and the lack of security exposed. Yet instead of disgrace, he found a strange admiration. Students who once ignored his lectures now quoted him online. He had become what he hated most: a viral figure.

Solomon discovered the cruelest twist of all. His carefully forged Dalí, meant to be his greatest triumph, became infamous when Madison accidentally stole it instead of the original. For the first time in his life, his work was famous — not for genius, but for deception.

Amber, though somewhat aloof, turned out to be sharper than anyone gave her credit for. Her observations about Robert, Solomon, and Madison helped detectives crack the case wide open. 

And Delilah, the optimist, became the unlikely hero. Her nervous confession about touching the frame, her observant details, and her heartfelt insistence on the truth helped put the entire timeline together. She went home to Iowa not as a suspect, but as the heart of the story — a reminder that even in the darkest moments, honesty is still important.

And Salvador Dali’s Persistence of Memory remained unforgettable.

Thank you for joining us for an art history mystery — concept, characters, and story by Victoria Bogatz and me, Tim Bogatz, with production from The Art of Education.

If you enjoyed this story, make sure to subscribe to Art Ed Radio wherever you listen to your podcasts.

For more stories, ideas, and inspiration designed just for art teachers.

And don’t forget to visit The Art of Education at theartofeducation.edu for everything you need to support your art room — articles, podcasts, graduate courses, lessons, resources, and professional development, all built just for you.

You can also join The Art of Ed community to discuss this podcast and anything else related to art teaching with another 8,000 like-minded art teachers. We would love to have you there.

We would also like to thank our incredible voice cast for bringing this mystery to life:
Jen Len as Delila Rose, Candido Crespo as Robert Celadon, Jen Russell as Madison Periwinkle, Jordan Sylvia as Amber Russell, and Joel Scolden as Solomon Oker.
We also had Amandayne as Lavender Montgomery, Todd Liben as Berg Phillips, Iggy Leben as our 911 operator, as well as Kylie Hingle as Detective Kelly Green, and David Bossman as Detective Forrest Green.

All of our original music is from Matt Hingle.
And thank you, of course, to everyone at The Art of Education for making this project possible.

We will be back next Tuesday — and every Tuesday — on Art Ed Radio with new episodes giving you the stories, ideas, and inspiration you need to keep your art room running.
We’ll talk to you next week.