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Western masterpieces from 26 countries around the world,
reproduced to full size on ceramic boards
A full-size ceramic reproduction of Vermeer's masterpiece "The Concert" has been on permanent display since March 18. 35 years ago, on March 18, 1990, 13 pieces of art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, USA in the "largest unsolved theft case in art history;" this piece was 1 of them. Even now, the museum is still searching for clues that could lead to the safe return of the artefacts and has attracted a lot of interest.

This is a scene that Vermeer loved, as if we were secretly catching a glimpse of peaceful music being played.A man plays the lute, a woman plays the harpsichord, and another woman holds the sheet music, keeping time and singing. This is a particularly natural and intimate interior painting among works that have a musical performance theme. In 17th century Holland, music was closely related to culture, and painters of the time used musical instruments and music to express love. It seems that musical scenes were familiar to Vermeer as well.


Vermeer's "Concert"
 Around 1663-66 　72.5 x 64.7cm
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Boston　
©Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum,Boston
Basement 2nd floor, in front of elevators 1 and 2

The biggest unsolved theft in art history costs hundreds of millions of dollars


March 18, 1990: Late at night, two robbers disguised as police officers broke into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and stole Vermeer's "The Concert," works by Rembrandt and Degas, and more for a total of 13 pieces. The case is still under investigation by the FBI and art experts, and a $10,000,000 (approx. ¥1,556,000,000 (Note 1)) reward is offered.

(Note 1) Exchange rate as of January 28, 2025

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Located in Boston, USA, this art museum features a Venetian palace-style building and a courtyard surrounded by beautiful cloisters. It was originally the private home of its founder, Mrs. Isabella Stewart Gardner. It houses a diverse collection of paintings, sculptures, decorative objects, and more from Europe, Asia, and America.

Vermeer's "Concert" was purchased by Mrs. Isabella Stewart Gardner at auction in Paris in 1891 for $6000 and was on display in the Dutch Room on the 2nd floor of the museum. In order to respect Mrs. Gardner's request that "no works be moved or replaced," and as a symbol of hope for the return of the works, an empty frame remains on display in the place where the stolen painting was.

  Netflix Documentary Series
 "Gardner Museum Theft: $500,000,000 in Treasures Gone Missing"


The documentary "Gardner Museum Theft: $500,000,000 in Treasures Gone Missing" (4 episodes), about the truth behind the theft, is available exclusively on Netflix from 2021.

It has attracted even more attention as one of the greatest mysteries in art history.



Netflix Documentary Series 
"Gardner Museum Theft: $500,000,000 in Treasures Gone Missing"

In 1990, 2 men posing as police officers broke into a Boston museum and stole 13 artworks worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This is the story of the audacious heist.

https://www.netflix.com/jp/title/81032570





▲Otsuka Museum of Art, 2nd basement floor, Vermeer Gallery

　Johannes Vermeer

Born in Delft, Netherlands in 1632. He began his career as a painter at the age of 21, and served as a director of the Delft Painters' Guild. He painted interior scenes of everyday life, including letters, music, and love, and left behind beautiful, delicate works that captivate viewers with their precise brushwork, calculated expression of light, and paintings within paintings that can be interpreted in multiple ways. After his death in 1675 at the age of 43, his work was gradually forgotten, but began to be appreciated again in the 19th century.
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