Tag: Paul Gauguin

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Worcester Art Museum Welcomes Outdoor Dining with Monet

Mac and Cheese available at the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, MA

Enjoying the warmer weather we turn to a summer series visiting museums to partake in a summer journey of art and food, after all, #FoodIsArt. (Eat at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Peabody Essex Museum; Worcester Art Museum; Norman Rockwell Museum, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum… and more).

The deep roots of the Worcester Art Museum’s ties to the livelihood of artistic expression are undeniable. From its first purchases of Claude Monet and Paul Gauguin’s works, the Worcester Art Museum established itself as the forerunner of America’s art obsession. With an eye for talent and at the epicenter of rare masterpieces, it is a mystery why the WAM is one of the most underrated art institutions in mainstream America. While many hear the stories of the museum’s infamous robbery – works like The Brooding Woman and Head of a Woman by Paul Gauguin, Mother and Child by Pablo Picasso and St. Bartholomew by Rembrandt stolen by two masked men in 1972 – their experience within the museum walls will tell a story of enriching history, classical art and the profound connection WAM maintains to the ever-changing art culture. A connection, so profound, that it inspires the phrase: food is art.

The Asian Sweet Shrimp Sauté from the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, MA
The Asian Sweet Shrimp Sauté from the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, MA

Before standing in awe in front of Monet’s Waterlilies and Gauguin’s The Brooding Woman, a visit to the naturally serene outdoor dining space is necessary to fully understand how the WAM doesn’t just embrace art but embeds it in every crevice of its establishment. From the carefully plotted trees and plants to the Community Mosaic wall display by artist Kim Emerson, the courtyard is the embodiment of living art. The menu at the Museum Café speaks to the WAM’s appreciation of nature with dishes like the Strawberry and Baby Spinach salad – a salad with goat cheese, toasted almonds, red onion and honey lemon dressing.

Inevitably, dishes named after Monet – an ever-changing palette of ingredients to complement the freshly prepared chicken salad or grilled chicken breast, served on a bed of seasonal greens – and Warhol – a crisp apple-smoked BLT – adorn the menu with permanency. Their names roll off the tongue when ordering, as their works bring about a certain admiration. Elevating the WAM’s collection of 35,000 art pieces to include the first works of Monet and the incredibly famous Campbell’s Soup Can by Andy Warhol, the Museum Café is a tribute to the greats.

Al Fresco dining in the Courtyard of the Worcester Art Museum's Cafe in Worcester, MA
Al Fresco dining in the Courtyard of the Worcester Art Museum’s Cafe in Worcester, MA

In continuous fashion, the WAM also pays respect to the diverse community of Worcester with dishes like the Asian Sweet Shrimp Saute – sweet shrimp in a baked wonton cup with rice noodles and vegetables, served alongside a cabbage slaw – and the Sarto Two, (a dedication to Andrea Del Sarto, painter of the Saint John the Baptist) – a roasted eggplant with grilled peppers, basil, pesto, and a blend of Italian cheeses.

Speaking to all walks of life, from children to adults, and from novice art seekers to art enthusiasts, the Museum Café caters to the creation of expression. All meals are plated carefully to bring about the innate aesthetics of food. With art infused in its flavors, culinary cuisines, and menu names, the Worcester Art Museum holds true to its passion for art preservation.

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Stealing Rembrandt

After spending nearly 15 years working in the national security arena, a time shared between Homeland Security and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Security Division, it made perfect sense for Anthony Amore to make the leap to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum where he presently works as the Director of Security and Chief Investigator. Charged with both protecting the current collection of the museum and procuring the artwork stolen during the famous 1990 heist, which included three Rembrandts, Amore has found himself getting quite the education on art theft—specifically involving Rembrandts. When investigating these types of thefts around the globe, it is only natural to turn the attention to our beloved Worcester Art Museum where a chapter in Amore’s book, Stealing Rembrandts: The Stories of Notorious Art Heists, is dedicated to the world’s first recorded armed robbery of a museum.

On Amore’s March 4th visit to the Worcester Art Museum he retold the story, in depth, about the heist and how it’s thieves’ plan conformed to the archetype of unprepared thefts. To start, even if a theft is successful, it proves to be impossible to part with the artwork for money. Even if finding a buyer, the non-expiring statute of limitations of being in possession of stolen artwork makes it less likely to sell the art to someone willing to pay significantly less than the recorded value. In the case of the heist at the Worcester Art Museum in May of 1972, the “perfect plan” was flawed from the beginning. One of the thieves was escorted out of the museum for not knowing the smoking policy while the two, who returned later, insisted on having an armed gun. The orchestrator of the heist, Florian “Al” Monday, reluctantly gave the men a gun, armed with a single round of ammunition. While the thieves took the artwork after scaring two fourteen year old girls—one of which, now an adult, was present at Amore’s lecture—they made their way through the Renaissance Court walking across the Antioch mosaic where the unarmed guard, Philip J. Evans, tried to stop them from walking across the 3rd century mosaic. Fearing resistance, the guard was shot and the two men fled to their stolen station wagon waiting outside. Upon getting to the car, instead of placing the artwork flat in the back, they carelessly threw two pieces into the backseat and held the third to the roof from outside the passenger’s window. Needless to say, the thieves were caught and the artwork returned, which included The Brooding Woman and Head of a Woman by Paul Gauguin, Mother and Child by Pablo Picasso, and St. Bartholomew by Rembrandt, a collection of works worth over one million dollars.

Within Amore’s book, dozens of other thefts are described where the Rembrandts are returned safely, or in rare cases, not returned at all, or, in even rarer cases, destroyed. His lectures and constant publicity of the 1990 heist aim to bring a public awareness of the theft with the goal to have the pieces restored to the walls, still sitting empty, at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. A $5-million reward also helps to aid the recovery efforts.

The Worcester Art Museum, the second largest museum in New England, boasts a prestigious collection of both classics from the masters to contemporary staples from the soon-to-bes. In addition, the programs at the Worcester Art Museum, including lecture series like the one that brought Amore to the museum are valuable benefits to it’s members. Whether there for the art, library, or educational programs for children and adults, the Worcester Art Museum‘s programs are a great way to stay abreast of what’s happening in the art world.