Searching for Isabella at the Isabella Gardner Museum

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts is one of the most unique art museums in the world. The museum, which contains nearly 3000 works of fine art from many of the world masters, was opened in 1903 and doubled as the private residence of Isabella Stewart Gardner, herself. The home was designed by her (with an architect), and each and every work of art was collected by her and located in the museum personally by her. The museum is her very personal gift to the world.

And a fun way to appreciate the personal side of the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum is to go in search of the " Isabellas," and other references to the name Isabella.

The most important Isabella can be found in the Gothic Room on the third floor. This is where the "scandalous" portrait that John Singer Sargent did of Isabella in 1888 is located. By today's standards, there isn't much to make one blush, but in Victorian Boston, if this portrait was ever made public, it would certainly create a controversy. Those Victorians who did see the painting were highly critical, not of Sargent's artistry, but due to the fact that the 48 year old Isabella posed in what they considered a low cut gown. They were also displeased that Isabella's arms were not covered and that she was decked out in expensive jewels. The last complaint was that there is an angelic mood to the painting. This room and the portrait were subsequently sealed off to the public till Isabella's death in 1924. Isabella considered it the best portrait ever painted of her. And today the general consensus agrees with her.

Isabella Stewart Gardner, not unlike her contemporaries, was interested in peoples names, so not so surprisingly, she took an interest in her own name and others who shared it. That is what caught her eye about the portrait of Isabella Clara Eugenia executed by the artist Frans Poubrus II. The painting is located in the Dutch Room on the second floor. This Isabella was an Archduchess of Austria, who lived in the 17^th Century.

In the Tapestry Room on the second floor, Isabella gets a little coy. As an international traveler, Isabella was more than well aware that her name Isabella translates to Ysabella in Spanish, the Y in this name captivated her to the point of actually using the Y in her own name at times. Isabella's fascination with the letter Y can be seen in this room, although it is not obvious. It's a game she's playing with her guests.

In 1894, artist Anders Zorn painted a dynamic portrait of Isabella while she was visiting Venice, Italy. Called "Isabella Stewart Gardner In Venice," it captures both the elegance and enthusiasm of Isabella. It was her husband's favorite portrait of Isabella.

Just for fun, the exterior of the museum plays with Isabella's favorite Y-shape. There are two Y's hidden the decorative exterior.

Any patron whose name is Isabella is admitted to the museum free of charge.