Monday, March 9, 2015

Transported by Lilly Harvey

          In the midst of a cold winter day in Boston, I would’ve never expected to be standing in a courtyard filled with plush green plants.  But when I ventured into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum this is exactly where I found myself.  Founded in 1903, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum houses a unique collection of artwork all purchased by Isabelle Gardner.  All of the artwork was carefully assembled by Gardner herself and not a single piece has been moved since her death in 1924.  While I found this unique collection of work captivating, the courtyard in the center of the building remained the stand out piece of the museum. 

          Perhaps what made this courtyard so interesting for me was how unexpected it was.  Even with the piles of snow outside, the courtyard made me feel like it was a peaceful spring day. There are also a variety surprising details in the space that made it more intriguing.   In the center of the space, there was mosaic piece with Medusa in the middle, which was an unexpected but extremely fascinating detail.  In addition there were several statues positioned throughout the space, breaking up the greenery.  While I loved these small details, my favorite piece was the fountain on one side of the courtyard.  The fountain is covered in small carvings and above the fountains there are three statues.  The trickle of the water made me feel as if I was outside.  The courtyard can be seen from the balconies on each of the three floors of the building and it is just as stunning from above as it is from eye level.  The garden also provides a sharp contrast to the gothic style and dark lighting of some of the rooms. 

          Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this museum. The courtyard in the center of the building made this museum memorable as well as providing a sharp contrast to the work assembled throughout the museum.  Since none of the work has been moved since 1924, the museum seems to be at a standstill, exactly the way Gardner left it.  This museum transported me to not only another time but to another season with the bright greenery and fountains.  I would highly recommend this museum to anyone who wants to enjoy a distinctive experience. 

1 comment:

  1. I definitely agreed with the review of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. I felt just as compelled to the courtyard as you did, and you were very skilled in articulating this feeling. Your first paragraph was solid, it provided good context for the museum and good factual details. The one thing that was missing in general though was a description of the art that was actually in the museum. You gave such a good detailed description of the courtyard, but I think its important to at least mention the kind of art featured so the reader can get some sort of an idea as to what kind of museum they are going to. As I just said, I loved your description of the courtyard and I agree entirely. it was such a nice contrast to the cold winter outside, and I literally felt as if I had been transported, making the title very fitting. Great, very accurate review, with good writing and descriptive language.

    ReplyDelete