Elena Rossi
On March 18, 1990, two thieves disguised as policemen entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and stole 13 pieces of art, including paintings by Vermeer and Rembrandt. The stolen artworks are estimated to be worth between $200 and $500 million, and the case remains unsolved. The FBI believes that the robbery was planned by a criminal organization, with suspicion falling on the Boston Mafia and various gangsters. The Gardner Museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen works, with an additional $100,000 offered for the return of the Napoleonic eagle finial.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of theft | March 18, 1990 |
| Number of thieves | 2 |
| Disguise | Police officers |
| Number of artworks stolen | 13 |
| Estimated value of stolen artworks | $200 to $300 million or half a billion dollars |
| Reward for information | $10 million |
| Reward for the return of the eagle finial | $100,000 |
| Artists whose works were stolen | Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, Govert Flinck |
| Paintings stolen | The Concert, The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, A Lady and Gentleman in Black, Landscape with an Obelisk, Chez Tortoni |
| Other items stolen | Ancient Chinese gu/bronze beaker, Napoleonic eagle finial, Rembrandt self-portrait etching, 5 Edgar Degas drawings |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The theft of 13 artworks from the Gardner Museum in 1990
On March 18, 1990, two thieves disguised as policemen entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, and stole 13 pieces of art valued at $200 to $300 million. The pieces were procured by art collector Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840–1924) and were intended for permanent display at the museum. The thieves' treatment of the artwork and the way they cut the paintings from their frames suggest that they were not experts.
The stolen works included:
- One of only 34 known paintings by Johannes Vermeer, "The Concert"
- Rembrandt's "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee", his only seascape, and a small self-portrait etching
- Five drawings by Edgar Degas, including "Cortège Sur Une Route Aux Environs De Florence" ("Procession On A Road Near Florence")
- A painting by Édouard Manet, "Chez Tortoni"
- Flinck's "Landscape with an Obelisk"
- An ancient Chinese bronze gu, or beaker
- A bronze eagle finial, the decorative top of a flagpole with a silk flag from Napoleon’s First Regiment of Imperial Guard
The theft remains unsolved, and the museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen works. The FBI believes that the robbery was planned by a criminal organization, with suspicion falling on the Boston Mafia and gangster Bobby Donati. Despite various theories and investigations, the case remains open, and the fate of the stolen artworks is still unknown.
Drywall Mud: Prime Before Painting?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The stolen artworks include pieces by Vermeer and Rembrandt
On March 18, 1990, two thieves disguised as policemen entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and stole 13 pieces of art valued at half a billion dollars. The theft, which remains unsolved, is considered the largest unsolved art heist and the highest-value museum robbery in history.
Among the stolen artworks were pieces by Vermeer and Rembrandt, including the former's "The Concert", one of only 34 known paintings by the artist and thought to be the most valuable unrecovered painting in the world. The latter's "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee", his only seascape, was also taken. Other paintings and sketches by Rembrandt were stolen, including "A Lady and Gentleman in Black", "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee", and a small self-portrait etching.
The selection of artworks puzzled experts, as more valuable pieces were left untouched. Investigators believe that the thieves were not experts commissioned to steal particular works, as evidenced by their rough treatment of the artwork. The stolen paintings were crudely cut from their frames with a blade and likely rolled up, causing potential damage.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum was constructed to house the personal art collection of art collector Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840-1924). The stolen artworks were intended for permanent display at the museum, and empty frames remain hanging in their respective locations as placeholders for the missing works and symbols of hope for their return. The museum, along with the FBI and the US Attorney's office, is still seeking viable leads and offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen works.
Quick Guide: Filling Columns in Word with Paint
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The artworks were valued at $200 to $300 million
On March 18, 1990, two thieves disguised as policemen entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, and stole 13 pieces of art. The stolen artworks included paintings, sketches, and drawings by renowned artists such as Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, and Govert Flinck. The thieves also took a Chinese gu (or beaker) and a Napoleonic eagle finial. The artworks were valued at $200 to $300 million, making the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft one of the most infamous art heists in history.
The most valuable painting stolen was likely Vermeer's "The Concert," one of only 34 known paintings by the artist. Rembrandt's "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee," his only seascape, was also taken, along with five drawings by Degas, including "Cortège Sur Une Route Aux Environs De Florence" ("Procession On A Road Near Florence"), and Manet's "Chez Tortoni." The selection of works and the rough treatment of some of the artwork—with some pieces cut from their frames carelessly—have led investigators to believe that the thieves were not experts commissioned to steal particular works.
The theft remains unsolved, but the museum, the FBI, and the US Attorney's office are still seeking leads and offering rewards for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artworks. The focus of the investigation has shifted away from the robbers towards trying to recover the stolen works of art. The museum is currently offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of all 13 works, with a separate reward of $100,000 for the return of the Napoleonic eagle finial.
The empty frames for the stolen paintings remain hanging in the museum as placeholders for the missing works and as symbols of hope awaiting their return. Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840-1924), an art collector, procured the stolen works, and they were intended for permanent display at the museum with the rest of her collection. Gardner's will decreed that nothing in her collection should be moved, so the empty frames remain as a testament to her vision and the loss of these invaluable artworks.
Opening DDS Files: Paint 3D Method
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The thieves were disguised as policemen
On March 18, 1990, 13 works of art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The two thieves, who were disguised as policemen, arrived in a hatchback and parked near the museum's side entrance. They were first seen by St. Patrick's Day revellers leaving a party nearby, who believed them to be real policemen. The thieves then buzzed the museum and stated that they were responding to a disturbance call. The guard on duty broke protocol and allowed them through the employee entrance.
The thieves handcuffed the guard and a second security guard and tied them up in the basement of the museum. They departed with the stolen artwork 81 minutes later, at 2:45 am. The guards remained handcuffed until the police arrived at 8:15 am. The thieves' movements were recorded by the museum's motion detectors.
The stolen works included Rembrandt's "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee" and "A Lady and Gentleman in Black", Vermeer's "The Concert", Flinck's "Landscape with an Obelisk", and five Degas drawings. The thieves also took an ancient Chinese bronze Gu, or beaker, and a small self-portrait etching by Rembrandt. The total value of the stolen artwork is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
The robbery remains unsolved, and no arrests have been made. The museum, the FBI, and the US Attorney's office are still seeking information leading to the recovery of the artwork and have offered a $10 million reward, the largest bounty ever offered by a private institution. A separate reward of $100,000 is being offered for the return of the Napoleonic eagle finial, which was also stolen.
Enlarging Images with MS Paint: A Step-by-Step Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The artworks have not been recovered
On March 18, 1990, two thieves disguised as policemen entered the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston and stole 13 pieces of art, valued at half a billion dollars. The artworks included pieces by renowned artists such as Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, and Govert Flinck. The theft, which has been described as displaying signs of amateurism, remains unsolved, and the artworks have not been recovered.
The stolen artworks are estimated to be worth between $200 and $300 million. The most valuable of these is Vermeer's "The Concert", one of only 34 known paintings by the artist. Other notable works include Rembrandt's "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee", his only seascape, and five drawings by Edgar Degas, including "Cortège Sur Une Route Aux Environs De Florence", a drawing from around 1857.
The theft has puzzled experts due to the selection of artworks taken and the rough treatment of some pieces, indicating that the thieves may not have been experts. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum was constructed to house the personal art collection of Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840-1924), and the stolen works were originally procured by her. As per Gardner's will, the empty frames for the stolen paintings remain hanging in their respective locations in the museum as placeholders for their potential return.
The investigation into the theft has focused primarily on the Boston Mafia, which was in the midst of an internal gang war during the period. One theory suggests that gangster Bobby Donati organized the heist to negotiate for his caporegime's release from prison. Other accounts indicate that a gang in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood may have been involved, although these suspects have denied any knowledge. Despite reward money and reduced or canceled prison sentences being offered in exchange for information, all leads have proven fruitless.
The Museum, the FBI, and the US Attorney's office are still seeking viable leads that could result in the safe return of the art. The Museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading directly to the recovery of the stolen works, with a separate reward of $100,000 for the return of the Napoleonic eagle finial.
Cutting Around Drawings: Mastering Paint's Trace Feature
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
13 paintings were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts.
The stolen paintings include "The Concert" by Johannes Vermeer, "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee" by Rembrandt, "A Lady and Gentleman in Black" by Rembrandt, "Landscape with an Obelisk" by Govert Flinck, and "Chez Tortoni" by Édouard Manet.
In addition to the paintings, five drawings by Edgar Degas, an ancient Chinese gu (a bronze beaker or wine cup), and a Napoleonic eagle finial were also stolen.
The theft, which occurred on March 18, 1990, remains unsolved. The museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artworks.
