With beautiful cinematography by Rebecca Dreyfus and Albert Maysles, more shocking than the twists and turns of a spectacular art theft that takes viewers through the art world, dealers, thieves and Sherlocks is that ...The Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachussetts is the only museum in the world created by a woman - designed, built, named by and after a woman.
Make sure to listen to the deleted scenes and commentary of Stolen the film by Rebecca Dreyfus.
Isabella Stewart Gardner 1840-1924 married or eloped, depending on which society's story, John "Jack" Lowell Gardner II. Jack's mother was a daughter of Salem, Massachusetts shipowner (yes, one of the witch burning sites) Joseph Peabody.
Joseph Peabody imported pepper from Sumatra, not all of it a pretty history. He died one of the wealthiest men in the United States in 1844.
At the time, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum click here was controversial. She brought elements of her beloved Venice and Italy to Boston, with landscaping inside the walls. Gardens, art, rare books, architecture all find their place here. Almost every room looks out over the courtyard. And, they had some wild parties within.
Some Pepper Perfumes ...
Noir Epices/Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle/Michel Roudnitska
Piper Nigrum/Lorenzo Villoresi
Poivre Piquant/L'Artisan Parfumeur/Bertrand Duchaufour
Hermessence Poivre Samarcande/Hermes/Jean-Claude Ellena
Rose Poivree/The Different Company/Jean-Claude Ellena
Throughout the film, art investigator Harold Smith's face changes like a living Abstract Expressionism - the reason why is revealed.
"How does one go about getting 16th century paint chips?" is not directly answered.
Turbo aka Paul Turbocharger Hendry, "may not speak with a Public School (public is private school in Britain) accent", purchased legitimate art with money made from fencing stolen art.Made me feel like sending him a snow scene, his favorite. Maybe Neiges, perfume by Lise Watiers of Canada?
Books to enjoy if you like this film:
Clifford Irving's Fake! on the talented artist and art forger Elmyr de Hory.
Ulrich Boser's The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World's Largest Unsolved Art Theft
photos:
Palette 2 Lura Astor
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