The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is situated in Boston, Massachusetts, and houses a diverse collection of art from different cultures and time periods. The founder, Isabella Stewart Gardner, was a wealthy American art collector who spent more than three decades collecting and displaying a wide range of paintings, sculptures, furniture, and decorative arts. However, in the early hours of March 18, 1990, the tranquility of the museum was shattered when two men disguised as police officers entered the museum and stole thirteen priceless artworks. The theft was one of the largest art heists in history and the whereabouts of the artwork has remained unknown for over three decades, despite the efforts of the FBI and the Boston Police Department. This project will focus on the events that occurred during and after the theft,specifically concerning the findings of the crime scene the next morning. The purpose of this project is to explore the details of the theft and the investigation that followed, shedding light on one of the most notorious art heists in history.
THE THEFT - March 18th, 1990 1:24 a.m. - 2:45 a.m.
The theft occurred on the night of St. Patrick's Day, when at approximately 1:24 a.m., two men posing as police officers arrived at the museum's door claiming to be responding to a disturbance call. At the time, two guards were on duty: Richard Abath and Randy Hestand. Abath buzzed the intruders into the building, believing them to be actual law enforcement officers. The thieves quickly overpowered Abath and the other guard, handcuffing them and duct-taping their heads and eyes. The guards were then taken to the museum basement and left there, tied up and disoriented (McGreevy, 2021).
DUTCH ROOM
The Dutch Room was one of the museum's most significant collections, and the robbers specifically targeted it. The stolen paintings were "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee" by Rembrandt, "A Lady and Gentleman in Black" by Rembrandt, "The Concert" by Vermeer, "Chez Tortoni" by Manet, "Landscape with an Obelisk" by Flinck, and a Chinese bronze beaker known as a gu. This section will focus on the events that occurred in the Dutch Room on the night of the theft and the significance of the stolen artworks.
"Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee" by Rembrandt
In Rembrandt's stolen painting, we witness a dramatic depiction of a well-known story from the New Testament in which Jesus and his disciples are caught in a fierce storm while sailing on a boat. The painting's vertical format shows the disciples struggling frantically to regain control of the boat as a massive wave hits the bow and tears the sail. One of the disciples is even depicted vomiting over the side. It is believed that the artist, Rembrandt, included a self-portrait of himself as one of the disciples, gazing out directly at the viewer. Meanwhile, Christ is portrayed as the only figure remaining calm amidst the chaos, located on the right side of the canvas. This painting is the only known seascape painted by Rembrandt and is famously known for illustrating the powerful passage in Matthew 8 of Jesus calming the storm (Schwartz, 2018). Unfortunately, the painting was roughly cut from its frame during the Isabella Gardner Museum theft and has yet to be recovered.
"A Lady and Gentleman in Black" by Rembrandt
The painting, "A Lady and Gentleman in Black," is considered as Rembrandt's first double portrait featuring both figures on the same canvas. Its size is impressive, measuring over 4 feet in height and 3.5 feet in width. The woman is seated on the right side, looking out but not directly at the viewer, projecting modesty and composure. Her left hand holds the glove of her exposed right hand, which rests on the arm of the elegant chair. In the center, the man stands, looming over the woman with a confrontational and confident posture. His left hand, wearing a glove, holds the glove of his hidden right hand, likely placed on his hip beneath his black cape. To his left is a simpler and empty chair. The triangle formed by the seated woman, the standing man, and the empty chair creates a sense of solidity and stability in the composition. X-ray analysis of the painting reveals that Rembrandt initially painted a child leaning on the woman's leg. Some experts believe that the child may have passed away, and the couple requested the image to be painted over to avoid painful memories (Schwartz, 2018). During the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist, along with several other notable artworks, the painting was crudely cut from its frame.
"The Concert" by Vermeer
The Vermeer painting is considered one of the most valuable and rarest of the stolen artworks, in part due to the scarcity of his existing works. Vermeer's use of silence as a central element in his paintings is evident in this piece, which depicts a trio of music-makers in a scene that exudes an air of extreme quietude. The painting's geometry, with its acute angles and rectangular frames on the wall, along with the subdued colors of the clothing and jewelry, contribute to the atmosphere of hushed stability. At the same time, the soft curves of the figures and the aerodynamic sweep of the harpsichord lid add tension and energy. The diamond-shaped tiles on the square marble floor seem to pull the viewer's eye into the scene, further emphasizing the contrast between the rigid geometry and organic rhythms of the painting (Schwartz, 2018). The painting was removed from its frame during the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft, along with several other notable artworks.
"Landscape with an Obelisk" by Flinck
This painting's main intrigue lies in the obelisk, which is much smaller in perspective than the large tree in the foreground, and appears to represent something symbolically. A fallen section of the tree suggests a possible lightning strike, while a miniature man on horseback converses with another small figure on the road. A water mill can be seen across a bridge, with a butte looming in the distance.The landscape is mostly rendered in browns, and the sky is dominated by grays. While the painting evokes both the fanciful and the realistic, the meaning behind the obelisk remains a mystery (Schwartz, 2018). The painting was removed from its frame during the heist.
"Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" by Rembrandt
Rembrandt's tiny etching depicts a self-portrait of him at almost 30 years old, showing him as a little pudgy, scraggly, with tousled and unkempt hair, and a serious expression. Despite his fame and success at just under 30 years old, Rembrandt doesn't flatter himself in this self-portrait. It was referred to as "Rembrandt with three mustaches" in a bill of sale because he has a mustache on his lip, hair on his chin, and a mustache-like brim on his cap (Schwartz, 2018). It's unclear why the etching was removed from its frame, as it is already very small even with the frame, but it seems that the robbers still went through the effort of unscrewing and taking it out.
Chinese Gu
The Gardner Museum states that the stolen 10-inch tall bronze beaker from the ancient Shang dynasty was the oldest object in the collection. The beaker's austere trumpet-shaped cup was supported by a stem and base that were intricately interwoven, making it one of the most elegant pieces in the museum (Schwartz, 2018).
Evidence from the crime scene suggests that during the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft, one of the robbers remained in the Dutch Room to take the paintings while the other robber ventured into the Short Gallery alone to begin stealing there…
SHORT GALLERY
On the night of the infamous heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the robbers not only targeted the Dutch Room but also made their way to the Short Gallery. Here, they stole six precious artworks: five drawings by Degas, and a Napoleonic eagle finial. It is believed that one of the robbers entered the gallery alone while the other was busy in the Dutch Room, setting their sights on these valuable pieces (Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum).
"Leaving the Paddock" by Degas
This stolen Degas watercolor, "La Sortie Du Pesage" ("Leaving The Paddock"), depicts a lively scene of horses and jockeys preparing to enter the track, surrounded by a crowd of spectators. Despite its small size of just 4-by-6 inches, the piece displays fascinating changes of position and a vibrant color palette. The attention of the viewer is drawn to the bold brown-orange jacket and cap of the jockey closest to the foreground, creating a dynamic focal point in the composition (Schwartz, 2018).
"Procession on a road near florence" by Degas
The earliest of Degas' horse images, "Procession On A Road Near Florence," is a 6-by-8 inch drawing from around 1857 in pencil and sepia wash, which gives it an antique look. The small procession shows Degas in a more historical mode, with a carriage pulled by a pair of horses and a woman holding an umbrella above three dancing women. An antique view of Florence can be seen in the distance, making for a particularly captivating piece (Schwartz, 2018).
"Three mounted jockeys" by Degas
The incomplete ink drawing "Three Mounted Jockeys" is approximately 12-by-9½ inches and features three jockeys on horses. The most prominent jockey is positioned in a striking pose, leaning back with one foot in the stirrups and the other leg stretched out around the horse's neck. The other two jockeys are less visible as they appear upside down on the page (Schwartz, 2018).
"Study of the programme 1" & "Study 2"
These 12-by-8-inch charcoal sketches, "Study 1" and "Study 2," were created in 1884 as studies for a program for an artistic soiree, one more complete than the other. The sketches include a dancing couple, a woman holding bound pages, an 18th-century man, sailing ships, smokestacks, a harp, and a bass fiddle. The empty square in the lower right-hand corner was likely meant for information about the soiree, and the images create a charming yet puzzling scene (Schwartz, 2018).
Napoleon Eagle Finial
The stolen finial from the Gardner Museum was not only an ornament, but a piece of history. The bronze eagle stood atop a flagpole that held a silk flag from Napoleon’s First Regiment of Imperial Guard. Despite the thieves' attempts to take the entire flag, they had to settle for the finial alone. Despite the loss of the eagle, the flag remains a powerful symbol of history in the museum (Schwartz, 2018).
Acccording to reports, the movements of the robbers in the Dutch Room and Short Gallery were mostly captured by motion sensors, allowing investigators to piece together their actions. However, there was one more painting that was stolen that was not in either of those rooms - "Chez Tortoni" from the Blue Room - and no movement was tracked in terms of anyone entering that room during the time of the theft…(Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum)
BLUE ROOM
The theft of "Chez Tortoni" from the Blue Room was the biggest mystery of all. None of the motion sensors detected any movement in the room, and there was no evidence of the robbers entering or exiting. The last person to enter the room was security guard Rick Abath during his rounds at around 12:30 a.m. How the thieves managed to bypass the security measures and steal the painting remains a perplexing question to this day.
"Chez tortoni" by Manet
"Chez Tortoni" is a small but remarkable painting by the French artist Édouard Manet. It depicts a young man sitting at a café table, writing and looking directly at the viewer. The painting is executed in broad, tactile brushstrokes, typical of the Impressionist style. The café where the scene is set is known for its specialty iced mousse, Biscuit Tortoni. The painting captures the essence of café culture in a snapshot, and it is clear that Manet wants the viewer to focus on the paint itself (Schwartz, 2018).
The Gardner heist has baffled art experts and investigators alike, as the thieves made an eclectic selection of items, passing over valuable works by Raphael, Botticelli, and Michelangelo in favor of less valuable pieces. Even more puzzling, the thieves never ventured up to the third floor where the prized Titian masterpiece, The Rape of Europa, hung. This has led investigators to believe that the thieves were not art experts commissioned to steal specific works, but rather opportunistic criminals who acted impulsively. The rough manner in which the artworks were handled also supports this theory (McGreevy, 2021).
CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
The following morning, the next shift of guards arrived to take over their post at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. However, when they attempted to contact the night security guards, there was no response. The guards became suspicious and alerted the security director. The security director used his keys to enter the building and found nobody at the watch desk. He then called the police, who conducted a thorough search of the museum. It was during this search that they discovered the guards still tied up in the basement. The robbers had taken out the VHS tapes for the security cameras and printed motion sensor alarms, likely in an attempt to cover their tracks. However, investigators were able to re-print the list of alarms from a saved hard drive, providing valuable clues about the robbers' movements. Investigators also found six empty frames, five of which were in the Dutch Room, and one in the security office. Broken glass was scattered on the floor, indicating that the paintings had been either cut from their frames or unscrewed and removed. (Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum)
Frame for 'The Concert'
Close examination shows that this gilt frame, with carved flowers adorning each corner and separated by inscribed central panels, was modified to fit the Vermeer. The top and bottom rails are cut down the middle so sections could be removed to create a narrower frame. (Salmon, 2022)
Frame for 'Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee'
The frame for Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee offers a small clue about its history with a label on the back that identifies a frame workshop in London. modifications: Here it appears someone removed material along the inside edge to accommodate the larger size of this painting. (Salmon, 2022)
The Frame for 'Lady and Gentleman in Black'
The Lady and Gentleman in Black's frame, which is of French or English origin, displays noticeable perforations on the upper and lower corners along the right side of its back. These perforations imply a different orientation and indicate the use of specific hardware to hang a horizontally-shaped painting. However, the Rembrandt painting is vertical, which clarifies the necessity for the frame modification. (Salmon, 2022)
Frame for 'Landscape with an Obelisk'
The frame appears to be French and, while it likely dates to the late 19th century, it copies a 17th century style, aligning more appropriately with the time period of the painting. These reproduction style frames were popular with dealers and collectors around the turn of the 20th century. (Salmon, 2022)
Frame for 'Chez Tortoni'
The thieves left this frame on the opposite side of the Museum in a Security office. No one knows why they discarded this frame in that location—or removed it from the painting at all given its small size (Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum).
Frame for 'Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man'
The stolen etching by Isabella Stewart Gardner was actually in a purchased frame that she acquired at a collection sale by Mary Jane Morgan. Strangely enough, the robbers not only took the etching but also removed it from the frame (Salmon, 2022). As mentioned previously, it is unclear why they would bother to remove it from the frame, as the etching is already very small even with the frame.
In conclusion, this project has delved into the infamous Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft, which remains an unsolved mystery to this day. Through analyzing the details of the crime scene, including the stolen artworks, the methods of the thieves, and the investigation that followed, we have gained a better understanding of this daring art heist. Despite the numerous leads and tips that have been pursued over the years, the stolen artworks have yet to be recovered, leaving us with more questions than answers. The Isabella Gardner theft remains a reminder of the vulnerability of even the most prestigious museums and the importance of preserving and protecting cultural heritage.
McGreevy, N. (2021, April 9). Five things to know about the gardner museum heist-the biggest art theft in modern history. Smithsonian.com. Retrieved 3n.d., from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/five-things-know-about-isabella-stewart-gardner-art-heist-180977448/
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Date not given). FRAME: REMBRANDT'S "PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS A YOUNG MAN", ABOUT 1633. Retrieve 3n.d, from https://www.gardnermuseum.org/experience/collection/15549#
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Date not given). THE THEFT: AN IMMERSIVE AUDIO WALK. Retrieve 3n.d, from https://www.gardnermuseum.org/audioguide/english/theft-walk