Nature at the Gardner Museum

 By Richard B. Primack

 

“In order to die, you must have first lived.” Henry David Thoreau in his Journal.

 

You can realize new insights about nature during a visit to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. 

 

The exquisite plantings of tree ferns and ornamentals in the courtyard demonstrate the value of nature in creating a sense of peace and tranquility. 

 

Photo 1: The courtyard of the Museum.

 

The highlight of a recent museum visit was an exhibit by Raqib Shaw, who has developed a unique style of painting with brightly colored enamels. 

Photo 2: Shaw’s painting of a summer garden illustrates the great beauty of nature, but a more careful examination shows dangerous creatures lurking in the shadows and a burning city in the distance, suggesting impending menace. 

Photo 3: Shaw’s painting of autumn at first appears to portray a bright and colorful scene, but a closer look shows that the forest is burning and this landscape and its inhabitants will be destroyed.

 

Here is a link to the exhibit:  LINK