Episode 48: The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist
All 13 of the stolen artworks
Born in 1840 into a wealthy family, Isabella Stewart Gardner developed a love of art after her husband brought her traveling to bring her out of the deep depression she fell into after the death of her two-year-old child and a miscarriage shortly after. Isabella quickly booked more trips all over the world in search of more artwork, and after her husband died she built a museum (with private chambers for herself) in Boston, Massachusetts to display her treasures. She ensured that nothing would be altered or changed after she passed, and she wished to keep the museum open to the public.
In the early morning of March 18th, 1990, two men dressed as police officers requested entry into the museum under the guise that they were there to respond to “a disturbance”. The two men then handcuffed the security guards and duct taped their faces before trapping them in the basement and making their way into the rooms of the museum to steal Isabella’s precious artwork. In the span of 81 minutes, the two thieves had stolen 13 works of art, estimated today to be worth over $500 million.
The stolen works as pictured from left to right are “The Concert” by Johannes Vermeer, “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man” by Rembrandt van Rijn, “Leaving the Paddock” by Edgar Degas, “Study for the Programme” by Edgar Degas, “Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee” by Rembrandt van Rijn, a bronze eagle finial by Pierre-Philippe Thomire, a Chinese Gu, or beaker, “A Lady and Gentleman in Black” by Rembrandt van Rijn, a second drawing titled “Study for the Programme” by Edgar Degas, “Landscape with an Obelisk” by Govaert Flinck, “Chez Tortoni” by Edouard Manet, “Procession on a Road near Florence” by Edgar Degas, and “Three Mounted Jockeys” by Edgar Degas.
Experts were confused by the robbery as the paintings had been roughly cut from their frames, indicating that the men were not professional art thieves. A few of the pieces such as the Chinese beaker were also not very valuable in comparison to other works left behind and untouched, and authorities struggled to piece together a motive. Several leads to the Boston Mafia and other gangs in the area were explored, but to this day the art heist remains a mystery and none of the artworks have been located.
The empty frames from the stolen pieces remain on display at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum to honor Isabella’s wishes that nothing be altered, and as a sign of hope that one day the art will be returned.
Anyone with any information on the stolen artworks is asked to please call the FBI’s official hotline 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Museum Director of Security Anthony Amore at 617-278-5114. There is a $10 million dollar reward for any information that leads to the artworks safe return.
Image sources:
Photo taken by Katie
bostonmagazine.com - “Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist”