Lena Rivera
On March 18, 1990, 13 works of art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in what is known as the largest property theft in the world. Two men dressed as police officers tricked their way into the museum, handcuffed the security guards, and stole several famous paintings, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Degas, and Manet. The museum is now offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen artworks, with an additional $100,000 for the return of a Napoleonic eagle finial. The investigation into the theft remains ongoing, with the museum, the FBI, and the US Attorney's office working together to find the missing artworks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of artworks stolen | 13 |
| Date of theft | 18 March 1990 |
| Time of theft | 2:45 am |
| Location of theft | Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston |
| Artworks stolen | - Rembrandt's "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee" - Rembrandt's "A Lady and Gentleman in Black" - Vermeer's "The Concert" - Flinck's "Landscape with an Obelisk" - An ancient Chinese beaker or gu - Rembrandt's small self-portrait etching - Five works by Edgar Degas, including "Leaving the Paddock" and "Cortège Sur Une Route Aux Environs De Florence" - Bronze eagle finial - Manet's "Chez Tortoni" |
| Reward for information | $10 million for information leading to the recovery of all artworks; $100,000 for the return of the eagle finial |
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What You'll Learn
Rembrandt's 'Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee' was cut from its frame
On March 18, 1990, two men dressed as police officers arrived at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. They claimed they were responding to a disturbance and requested to be let in. The guard on duty, breaking protocol, allowed them through the employee entrance. The fake officers then handcuffed the guard and another security officer and tied them up in the basement. The thieves made off with 13 of the Gardner's works of art, including Rembrandt's Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, which they cut from its frame.
Rembrandt van Rijn's Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee (1633) was one of the most famous paintings in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It was also Rembrandt's only seascape. The painting depicted a well-known passage from the New Testament (Matthew, 8):
> "And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm."
Rembrandt's painting is described as the "almost diametrical opposite" of another painting in the museum, A Lady and Gentleman in Black, which was also stolen. Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee was also positioned in stark contrast to the rectangular frames on the wall that surrounded it. The painting's heavy varnish, which would not have been easy to roll up, has cast doubt on the account of a person of interest who claimed the painting was "unfurled".
The theft of 13 artworks from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum remains unsolved. The museum, the FBI, and the US Attorney's office are still seeking information that could lead to the artworks' recovery. The museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the safe return of the stolen works, and an additional $100,000 for the return of the Napoleonic eagle finial that was also stolen.
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Five works by Edgar Degas were stolen from the Short Gallery
On March 18, 1990, two men in police uniforms arrived at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and claimed they were responding to a disturbance. The guard on duty allowed them through the employee entrance, and at the thieves' request, he stepped away from the watch desk. The thieves handcuffed and tied up the guard and a second security guard in the basement of the Museum. They departed with 13 of the Gardner's works of art 81 minutes later.
Five works on paper by Edgar Degas were stolen from the Short Gallery, the passageway leading into the large Tapestry Room on the Museum's second floor. They were stored in cabinets designed by Mrs. Gardner herself, alongside other prints and drawings. Of the five, three portrayed horse racing or horses, including "Cortège Sur Une Route Aux Environs De Florence" ("Procession on a Road Near Florence"), a drawing from around 1857 in pencil and a sepia wash. Two were sketches for an artistic program. Another of the stolen Degas works was a watercolour called "Leaving the Paddock" or "La sortie du pesage".
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of all 13 works of art. A share of the reward will be given in exchange for information leading to the restitution of any individual work or group of works. An additional reward of $100,000 is being offered for information leading to the return of the Napoleonic eagle finial.
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A bronze eagle finial was also taken
On March 18, 1990, two men in police uniforms arrived at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and stated they were responding to a disturbance. The guard on duty allowed them through the employee entrance and was subsequently handcuffed and tied up, along with a second security guard. The thieves stole 13 works of art, including paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Flinck, as well as five works on paper by Edgar Degas and a bronze eagle finial.
The bronze eagle finial, also referred to as the Napoleonic eagle finial, was taken from the Short Gallery on the second floor of the museum. This gallery leads into the large Tapestry Room and houses cabinets designed by Mrs. Gardner herself. The finial is believed to be relatively valueless, and experts have expressed puzzlement over its inclusion in the theft. Despite this, the museum is offering a separate reward of $100,000 for information leading to its return, in addition to the $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of all the stolen works.
The eagle finial is described as "Finial: Eagle, Staff, Flag and Cravat: Insignia of the First Regiment of Grenadiers of Foot of Napoleon's Imperial Guard, French, 1813/1814". It is not clear if the object has any particular historical or artistic significance beyond its decorative function. However, it was clearly considered important by Isabella Stewart Gardner, who intended for her collection to be permanently displayed in the museum.
The theft of the bronze eagle finial remains a mystery, and its recovery is a priority for the museum, the FBI, and the US Attorney's office. The return of the finial and the other stolen artworks may provide valuable information about the robbery and the criminal organization believed to be behind it.
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Vermeer's 'The Concert' was removed from its frame
On March 18, 1990, two men dressed as police officers arrived at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and rang the Museum intercom, stating they were responding to a disturbance. The guard on duty, breaking protocol, allowed them through the employee entrance. The thieves handcuffed and tied up the guard and a second security guard in the basement of the Museum. They departed with 13 of the Gardner's most valuable works of art 81 minutes later.
Among the stolen works was Vermeer's The Concert, one of only 34 known paintings by Johannes Vermeer. The painting is thought to be the most valuable unrecovered painting in the world. The thieves removed the painting from its frame.
The stolen works were originally procured by art collector Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840–1924) and were intended for permanent display at the museum with the rest of her collection. Gardner purchased The Concert in 1892 at auction in Paris. 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 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading directly to the recovery in good condition of all 13 works of art. A share of the reward is promised in exchange for information leading to the restitution of any individual work or group of works. An additional reward of $100,000 is being offered for information leading to the return of the Napoleonic eagle finial. Anyone with information about the stolen artworks should contact the Museum’s security director, Anthony Amore, at 617 278 5114 or [email protected]. Confidentiality is assured.
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The heist was carried out by thieves posing as police officers
On March 18, 1990, two men dressed as police officers carried out a heist at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, stealing 13 works of art in total. The thieves arrived at the museum in a vehicle and pulled up near the side entrance. They then buzzed the museum's intercom, stating that they were police officers responding to a disturbance and requesting to be let in. The guard on duty, breaking protocol, allowed them through the employee entrance.
Once inside, the fake officers directed the guard to step away from the watch desk. The guard and a second security guard were then handcuffed and tied up in the basement of the museum. The thieves proceeded to the galleries, where they removed several well-known works of art from the walls. They cut two Rembrandt paintings, "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee" and "A Lady and Gentleman in Black", from their frames. They also took Vermeer's "The Concert", Flinck's "Landscape with an Obelisk", an ancient Chinese bronze gu or beaker, and a small self-portrait etching by Rembrandt from a chest.
In the Short Gallery, located on the same floor as the Dutch Room, the thieves stole five works on paper by Edgar Degas, including "Leaving the Paddock (La sortie du pesage)", and a bronze eagle finial. They also took Manet's "Chez Tortoni" from the Blue Room on the first floor. The thieves departed at 2:45 am, making two separate trips to their car to transport the stolen artwork. The guards remained handcuffed until the police arrived at 8:15 am.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the FBI, and the US Attorney's Office are still seeking information and viable leads to recover the stolen artworks and bring the thieves to justice. A reward of $10 million is being offered for information leading directly to the safe return of the stolen artworks. An additional reward of $100,000 is also being offered for information leading to the return of the Napoleonic eagle finial.
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Frequently asked questions
13 works of art were stolen, including:
- 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*
- Manet's *Chez Tortoni*
- Five works by Edgar Degas, including *Cortège Sur Une Route Aux Environs De Florence* and *Leaving the Paddock (La sortie du pesage)*
- An ancient Chinese beaker (or gu)
The stolen artworks have not been recovered. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the paintings.
On March 18, 1990, two men dressed as police officers arrived at the museum and requested to be let in, claiming they were responding to a disturbance. The guard on duty allowed them through the employee entrance and was subsequently handcuffed and tied up in the basement along with a second security guard. The thieves departed with the artworks 81 minutes later.
