Heist For the History Books

Raised by a wealthy New York City family, young Isabella moved to Boston in the 1860s after marrying Jack Gardner. The couple traveled the world, collecting art along the way. They also met important artists, including John Singer Sargent, who painted Isabella’s portrait, below, in 1888.

The couple dreamed of building a museum to house their art collection. Jack died of a stroke in 1898, but Isabella moved forward with their plans, completing the museum in 1901.

Gardner arranged and installed her collection—which included more than 7,500 paintings, sculptures, pieces of furniture, ceramics, and textiles—herself. During the next two decades, she made the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum a cultural center, hosting lectures and concerts and even inviting artists, like Sargent, to visit.

Gardner was raised by a wealthy New York City family. In the 1860s, she married Jack Gardner and moved to Boston. The couple traveled the world. They collected art along the way. They met important artists, like John Singer Sargent. He painted Isabella’s portrait, below, in 1888. 

The couple dreamed of building a museum for their art. After Jack died in 1898, Isabella decided to make their dream a reality. She completed the museum in 1901. She called it the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Gardner carefully arranged and displayed the collection herself. It included more than 7,500 paintings, sculptures, and other artworks.

When Gardner died in 1924, in her will she left the museum “for the education and enjoyment of the public forever.” It specified that nothing in the galleries should be changed, and no artworks should be bought or sold. Gardner wanted everything to remain exactly as she had arranged it.

The museum’s curators respected Gardner’s wishes, and everything stayed exactly as she left it—until March 18, 1990. It took the two thieves only 81 minutes to steal 13 paintings from the museum. Today these artworks would be worth more than $500 million.

Among the stolen works was a 1633 painting called Storm on the Sea of Galilee, below, by Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn. It is the artist’s only seascape. Works by 19th-century French artists Edgar Degas and Édouard Manet were also stolen.

Before Gardner died in 1924, she stated that she wanted the museum to stay open to the public forever. She instructed that everything stay exactly as she had left it, and that no art be bought or sold.

The curators respected Gardner’s wishes. Nothing changed until March 18, 1990, the night of the robbery. It took the two thieves only 81 minutes to steal 13 paintings from the museum. The works would be worth more than $500 million today!

One of the stolen items was a 1633 painting by Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn, below. It’s titled Storm on the Sea of Galilee. It is the artist’s only painting of the ocean. Works by French artists Edgar Degas and Édouard Manet were also stolen.

Today empty frames remain where these works once hung to preserve Gardner’s intent, as a memorial to the lost works, and to show visitors how the thieves disturbed her careful arrangement of the art. The theft is still unsolved and the art remains missing. The museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading directly to the return of the stolen works.

In an unexpected twist, the theft has helped Gardner’s original mission, drawing global attention to the museum. It is a source of cultural fascination, inspiring books, podcasts, and even the Netflix documentary This Is a Robbery. Since that night in 1990, countless people have traveled from around the world to see the famed collection and the empty frames.

The empty frames on the museum walls honor Gardner’s wishes. The museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the return of the stolen paintings.

Today a lot of people are interested in Gardner’s museum. The theft inspired books and even a Netflix documentary, This Is a Robbery. People travel from around the world to see the museum’s famous collection and the empty frames.