Leo Martínez
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, was robbed of 13 artworks on March 18, 1990. Two men dressed as police officers entered the museum, claiming to be investigating a disturbance. They tied up the guards and left with 13 pieces of art, including paintings by renowned artists such as Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt. The stolen artworks are estimated to be worth between $200 and $500 million, making it the highest-value museum robbery in history. The case remains unsolved, and the museum is still offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artworks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the museum | Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum |
| Location | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Date of robbery | March 18, 1990 |
| Time of robbery | 1:24 a.m. |
| Number of robbers | 2 |
| Disguise | Police uniforms |
| Number of artworks stolen | 13 |
| Artists whose works were stolen | Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt, Edgar Degas, Édouard Manet, Govaert Flinck |
| Other items stolen | Chinese wine beaker, Napoleonic battle flag finial |
| Estimated value of stolen items | $200 million to $500 million |
| Reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen items | $10 million |
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What You'll Learn
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft
On March 18, 1990, Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum fell victim to an infamous art heist, with 13 invaluable artworks and artefacts being stolen. Two men, disguised as police officers, persuaded security guards to let them into the museum, claiming to be investigating a disturbance. The guards were then bound and locked in the basement while the thieves made off with the stolen pieces. The stolen artworks included paintings by renowned artists such as Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt, as well as a Chinese wine beaker and a Napoleonic battle flag finial. The total value of the stolen items is estimated to be between $200 million and $500 million, making it the highest-value museum robbery in history.
Among the stolen artworks was Vermeer's "The Concert", one of only 34 to 37 paintings attributed to him, and thus an extremely rare and valuable piece. The painting is a small work, slightly more than two feet square, depicting a trio of music-makers in a calm and quiet atmosphere. Another valuable piece stolen was Rembrandt's "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee", the artist's only known seascape. This painting is an illustration of a famous passage from the New Testament, depicting Jesus calming a storm at sea.
The theft remains unsolved, despite the efforts of the FBI and a $10 million reward offered by the museum for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artworks. Over the years, various theories have emerged about the identities of the thieves and their motivations. Notable suspects include notorious art thief Myles Connor, who has connections to organised crime, and Robert Gentile, a Manchester, Connecticut gangster. Investigators believe the works of art may have been taken to high-profile figures in a New England-based crime organisation in Connecticut and Philadelphia.
The empty frames from which the paintings were stolen remain on display at the museum, with the hope that the artworks will eventually find their way home. The museum has urged whoever holds the paintings to conserve them in recommended temperatures and humidity levels.
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Robbers disguised as police officers
On March 18, 1990, two men disguised as police officers entered Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, claiming to be investigating a disturbance. They persuaded the guards to let them in and proceeded to bind them. The thieves then made off with thirteen invaluable artworks, including pieces by renowned artists such as Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt. The stolen artworks are estimated to be worth between $200 and $500 million.
The two thieves were believed to be involved with a New England-based crime organization, and the artworks were thought to have been taken to high-profile figures in the organization in Connecticut and Philadelphia. Many of the suspects have since died, and the case remains unsolved. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is still offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artworks.
The stolen artworks included Vermeer's "The Concert," one of fewer than 40 known paintings by the 17th-century Dutch painter. Also taken was Rembrandt's "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee," the artist's only known seascape. Other items stolen include a Chinese wine beaker and a Napoleonic battle flag finial.
The robbery is considered one of the most infamous art heists in history and has captivated the public, experts, art enthusiasts, and investigators for decades. The frames from which the paintings were stolen remain empty and on display at the museum, with the hope that the artworks will eventually find their way home.
The investigation into the robbery has faced challenges, with some suspects dying and others refusing to cooperate without their demands being met. Notable suspects include notorious art thief Myles Connor, who has connections to organized crime, and Robert Gentile, a Manchester, Connecticut gangster. Despite these challenges, investigators remain hopeful that the artworks can be recovered and have urged anyone with information to come forward.
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Thirteen artworks stolen
On March 18, 1990, Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum was robbed of 13 artworks. Two men dressed as police officers entered the museum, claiming to be investigating a disturbance. They handcuffed the guards and locked them in the basement before making off with 13 invaluable artworks, including pieces by renowned artists such as Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt. The stolen artworks are estimated to be worth between $200 and $500 million.
The most valuable work taken was "The Concert" by Vermeer, one of only 34 paintings attributed to him. The painting accounts for half of the overall theft's value, estimated at $250 million in 2015. Experts believe that "The Concert" may be the most valuable stolen object in the world.
Rembrandt's "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee" was also among the stolen artworks. This painting is Rembrandt's only known seascape and is considered the most valuable of his works taken that night. Other stolen pieces by Rembrandt include a tiny etching, "Rembrandt with Three Mustaches," and two other paintings.
The thieves also took five drawings by Edgar Degas, a painting by Édouard Manet, a Chinese wine beaker, and the eagle-shaped finial from a Napoleonic battle flag.
The robbery remains unsolved, and the museum is still offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artworks. The frames from which the paintings were stolen remain empty and on display at the museum.
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The investigation and search for the paintings
On March 18, 1990, Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum was robbed of 13 invaluable artworks, including paintings by renowned artists such as Johannes Vermeer and Rembrandt. The stolen artworks were estimated to be worth $200 to $500 million, making it the highest-value museum robbery in history.
The investigation into the robbery of the Boston Museum of Art has been ongoing for over three decades and has involved the FBI, the museum's security team, and the US Attorney's office. The FBI and the museum's director of security since 2005, Anthony Amore, announced that they believed the two robbers were involved with a New England-based crime organization and that the artwork had been taken to high-profile figures in the organization in Connecticut and Philadelphia. Many of the suspects have since died, and the investigation has shifted its focus from the robbers to recovering the stolen artwork.
One notable suspect is notorious art thief Myles Connor, who has connections to organized crime. Connor approached investigators and offered to assist in returning the artwork in exchange for the museum's posted reward and his freedom. When investigators did not agree to his demands, he suggested they speak with criminal and antiques dealer William P. Youngworth. Acting on this lead, the FBI opened a case on Youngworth and raided his home and antique store properties in the 1990s.
In 1997, Youngworth contacted journalist Tom Mashberg and told him he had proof he could return the Gardner paintings under the right conditions. Youngworth showed Mashberg a painting that appeared to be Rembrandt's "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee," one of the stolen artworks. Youngworth claimed that the robbery was pulled off by five men and identified two of them as Donati and Houghton. The FBI later raided a warehouse that Youngworth had led Mashberg to, but they found nothing.
The investigation into the Boston Museum of Art robbery remains unsolved, and the museum is still offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artwork. The frames from which the paintings were stolen remain empty on display at the museum, and the museum has urged whoever holds the paintings to conserve them properly. Investigators continue to hope for new leads to emerge, even decades after the robbery.
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The $10 million reward for the paintings' return
On March 18, 1990, Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum was robbed of thirteen artworks, including masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer. The stolen pieces are valued at more than $500 million and are considered the highest-value museum robbery in history.
The Gardner Museum robbery remains one of the most infamous in history, with the pieces still missing despite extensive investigations. In May 2017, the museum's board of trustees announced that they were doubling the reward for information leading to the return of the artworks to $10 million. This increase in reward money suggests that the investigation is still active, and the museum remains optimistic that the works can be recovered.
The $10 million reward was offered for a limited time, valid only until December 31, 2017. The museum's director of security, Anthony Amore, stated that the reward increase was not connected to any fraudulent sale attempts but was a result of a vote at a prescheduled annual board meeting. Amore also commented that "typically, stolen masterpieces are either recovered soon after a theft or a generation later," indicating that the museum believed there was still a chance to retrieve the stolen artworks.
The investigation into the theft has involved the FBI and has led them to various suspects, including notorious art thief Myles Connor and Connecticut mobster Robert Gentile. Despite these leads, the paintings have not been recovered, and the thieves have not been identified or prosecuted due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
The $10 million reward offered by the Gardner Museum reflects the urgency and importance of recovering these invaluable artworks, which are considered part of the world's cultural heritage. The museum's empty frames remain on display, serving as a constant reminder of the missing masterpieces.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts, was robbed of 13 paintings on March 18, 1990.
The stolen paintings included "The Concert" by Johannes Vermeer, "The Storm on the Sea of Galilee" by Rembrandt, and works by Edgar Degas and Édouard Manet.
In addition to the 13 paintings, a Chinese wine beaker and the eagle-shaped finial from a Napoleonic battle flag were also taken.
No, the crime remains unsolved. The FBI and the museum are still seeking viable leads and are offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artworks.
