A few days ago, when the wrapping paper and ribbons finally stopped swirling overhead, I opened my Boston travel folder. I depart on January 5th. Never have I ever been so glad I have my plan in place, my luggage listed, my day-to-day schedule filled out.
I spent that evening split between reading The Memory Palace of Isabella Steward Garner and Googling up images of the artworks she referenced. The Memory Palace of Isabella Stewart Gardner is really about trying to write a biography of someone who burned her private letters and diaries. One review aptly called it ‘a meditation on art and personality’ and does tie ISG’s life and the author’s ideas about her to individual pieces in the museum. One of the unanswered mysteries is why ISG placed certain objects in proximity to others. I personally like the eccentricity of her choices, but I wish I had a detailed audio guide or podcast to download on that topic. The book is more speculation than anything, but it got my imagination fired up.
I did the math, and I will save a little bit of money and time if I join the MFA rather than purchase tickets, so that got done. I may not have joined in time for the card to reach me in the mail, but my membership started from the moment I clicked the Pay Now button. My confirmation email should get me a temporary card for each day, like a temporary driver’s license. I can’t wait to see Auomedon in action again.
Pondering whether to make reservations at the museum dining rooms or just show up on the day and do it first thing. Keeping my fingers crossed there are no snowstorms of the century during my brief visit.
I remember reading once that Isabella Steward Gardner would, every Holy Week, arrive at the Church of the Advent on the flat of Beacon Hill, step from her chauffeured car and, in her furs, scrub the steps of the church in penance on her hands and knees. So, not one to miss a good ‘moment’.
She said something like, “it’s a shame to ruin a good story with the truth.” There’s is so much I like about her stubborn, eccentric choices, her decision to live out loud and the wealth to do it. Why stop at a room of one’s own when you can build a three-story Venetian palazzo?