Isabella Stewart Gardner

Isabella Stewart was born into a wealthy family as a descendant of the royal Stuart Scottish line. She invested much of her wealth in collecting and exhibiting art in the Back Bay Fens, Boston. Following the death of her husband, Jack, she single-handedly acquired land and actualized her vision for an elaborate house museum, originally named "Fenway Court." Her life was animated by international travel, the company of elite art circles (including John Singer Sargent and James McNeil Whistler), and philanthropy towards local organizations and charities. She was known for her vibrant, eccentric, convivial personality, and her boundless imagination for whimsy and surprise. She loved animals as well as art and had four dogs.