Adventure #3 of 7 in three days- Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Painting of Isabella Stewart Gardner

Laurie and I went to Boston on Friday and did four different things in the city. I don't particularly like getting into Boston whether by train, subway, or automobile. Laurie bought tickets to the US Gymnastics championships for Friday night. Since I had the day off from work anyway, we went to a few things we wanted to do and make a day of it.

My friend Dick Durand told me about the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (ISGM from here on out) months ago. I was surprised I had never heard of it even though I research things to do in the area all of the time. I put it on my 2018 to do list. Since we got the tickets for the gymno, we planned on hitting the museum the same day. 

Tickets are a surprisingly reasonable $15. The closest T stop is the Museum of Fine Arts. It was only a couple minute walk from the stop. You do get a $2 discount if you wear Red Sox apparel. Apparently, Mrs. Gardner was not only an art enthusiast and a world traveler, but also a huge Sox fan. I'm sure any other needed info is easily found on the website.The museum consists of a private collection of one individual, Isabella Stewart Gardner. While she was alive and collecting pieces of art she decided to have a museum built. It was finished during her lifetime and helped with the designing of the room layout. Also of interest, the building itself is a work of art. the architecture is unbelievable. 

The second Rafael
in the ISGM

Painting by Rafael

The museum consists of three floors. There is a central courtyard that is a beautiful Venician garden. Although there is art from many places, by far the most popular style is Italian, specifically early-Renaissance. There are two works by the master Raphael. There are many religious themed paintings by other Renaissance artists. Amazingly there was very little in the way of French artists. I didn't see any Monet or Van Gogh. It was almost refreshing. I saw so much French work in Philly and DC, I would not have been impressed. I like seeing early paintings that have survived for 700 years as much as Claude Monet's work.

The ISGM is sadly home of the largest art heist in history. Two guys dressed as policemen stole two Rembrandt's. There are two empty frames on the wall wh
ere they were hung. Fortunately, there is a Rembrandt self portrait still there.

This is a Rembrandt self portrait
It is from a time when only talented
people could take a selfie!

The museum took us roughly two hours to go through. When you walk into a room there are lamenated  guides that you can grab and you can read about what is hanging on each wall. The guide tells you the name of the work, artist, and year. I looked up the info of the pieces that struck me. If you like art, it is absolutely worth going to.

More photos below

A Medeival knight's tomb cover

St. George slaying the dragon.This is a
common theme for Renaissance paintings.
I have seen them in many museums

The "Tapestry Room" was huge

One of the missing Rembrandt frames

This is Queen Isabella. It is from roughly 1500.
I believe (although haven't researched it yet)
It is THE Queen Isabella that paid for
Columbus's voyages!