Yet what was the most expensive painting in the museum, Titian’s “Rap- of Europa” was left untouched. One painting alone, “The Concert” by Vermeer is estimated to be worth $250 million. The only known seascape painted by Rembrandt, “Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee” was one as was a Rembrandt self-portrait. It was in the latter that we explore interesting and contrasting exhibits one a collection of French illustrated prayer books from the 15th Century and the other an display of stage designs for opera and theater designed by Maurice Sendak of “Where the Wild Things Are” fame.īut returning to the original building we made a point to visit the rooms where the art was stolen, empty frames on the wall reminding all visitors of what was taken. The rooms within the museum were likewise impressive and reflected the eclectic art the heiress has collected and featured different designs that reflected when the art was created included Byzantine, Medieval, Gothic, Renaissance and also current modern architecture (in new wings). The collection included items from many different eras of European history, from Ancient Rome to 20th Century contemporary art. The art was both of a religious and secular nature. The stucco walls had varied color and texture brought out by the light filtering from the glass roof covering it all.Īs already alluded to the art collection featured more than just paintings but included sculptures, furniture and tapestries. The balconies or loggias had narrow columns and ornate peaked arches all providing a view onto the garden as well as an opportunity for nicely framed portrait photos (zoomed in from the opposite wall) or as a backdrop for a close-in shot. The walls facing the courtyard featured 3 stories of classic Venetian palace or palazzo architecture. The garden had a mosaic floor as its centerpiece with a lush garden surrounding it. There were a lot of marble sculptures from the Roman Empire and the marble columns supporting the arches seemed to harken from that era as well. The ground floor featured brick walls and round Roman or Romanesque archways. The indoor courtyard was a sight to behold. The building did not appear impressive as we walked towards it but the interior did not disappoint. We did visit and Isabella Gardner Museum lived up to its billing. It piqued our interest, as did its unique architecture and we resolved to visit the next time were in Boston. Patrick’s Day, 1990 in which paintings worth an estimated $200 million at the time (perhaps worth $500 million now) were stolen from the poorly-guarded private museum. My wife and I had watched the Netflix “This is a Robbery” about the infamous art heist of St.
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