The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, Massachusetts was first opened by Isabella Stewart Gardner in 1903. The museum houses an impressive collection of European, Asian and American art, many of which are considered to be priceless.
On March 18, 1990, two men posing as police officers entered the museum and robbed it of thirteen pieces of art valued at around $500 million. This robbery has remained unsolved for over thirty years now and the pieces of art have not been recovered.
The robbery itself has been described as “one of the most significant unsolved crimes” in history. It is believed that the perpetrators had some knowledge about the museum’s security system and were able to gain access to certain areas with relative ease.
It was also speculated that they had inside help from someone familiar with the museum’s layout. Some have suggested that the thieves were part of a professional criminal organization while others have suggested that they may have been amateurs.
The stolen items included works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Manet and Degas. Additionally, a Chinese gu or vase was stolen along with some other objects. One theory suggests that these pieces were sold on the black market shortly after they were stolen while another suggests they may still be in private collections or unknown locations.
The theft resulted in a massive international investigation involving Interpol and other law enforcement agencies. Despite several leads, no arrests have been made and it is believed that the artworks are still missing today. In recent years, there has been a renewed effort to find these missing works with some progress being made towards this goal.
Conclusion: The artworks stolen from Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum remain missing to this day despite efforts from law enforcement agencies across the globe. It is highly likely that these works were sold on the black market but their current whereabouts remain unknown.