In her private bathroom on the fourth floor living quarters at Fenway Court, there is a tile, (recreated in the museum public restrooms) upon which is the French phrase, “PENSE MOULT, PARLE PEU, ECRIS RIEN”, translating to “Think much, say little, write nothing.” Isabella Stewart Gardner literally engrafted that sentiment in the composition of her museum. As well, her trusted friends carried out this wish, burning many of her personal papers at her death.

There are meticulous records of purchases, beautifully crafted travel journals, a small selection of existing correspondence and, of course, her collection. We also have access to outside observers – news accounts (many of which she herself collected), notes from her architect, and letters to or about her. This leaves us, very much, with the who, what, when, and the how and precious little of her own why.

So why is there so little why? Was it about privacy, self-care, persona management, avoiding scandal, a sense of family pride and protection, unimaginable pain, cultural alignment, or did she just believe it was none of our business? For a figure as flamboyant and theatrical as ISG, she held her personal “cards” close to the vest. The story she promoted about herself, for the most part, overlooked so much of her struggle.

As I research this real, historic person with the intent to capture a new element of her personal, intimate, at times tragic story, I am both limited by a lack of her own words and also encouraged by the possibilities for individual interpretation of her actions, choices, and situation – with a tempered respect to her own meticulously curated choices, not only regarding her museum, but also her image.