An evening with Isabella Stewart Gardner

CHARACTER REENACTOR portrays ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER. Jessa Piaia will present a dramatic portrayal of Isabella Stewart Gardner (1840-1924), in the program entitled, Isabella Stewart Gardner Visits Winchester Jumelage on Thursday, June 11th, 2026, from 6:00-8:00pm at the Griffin Museum of Photography. The drama is set in 1910, seven years after the opening of Fenway Court which Mrs. Gardner conceived, designed, and had built to showcase her extensive art collection, and later dedicated to the City of Boston upon her demise. A recognized leader of Boston's emerging salon scene, Mrs. Gardner, with characteristic verve and candor, will relate episodes about her luminous circle of family and friends, including Frederick Law Olmsted, John Singer Sargent, and Okakura Kakuzo. A devout Episcopalian, Mrs. Gardner will also touch upon aspects of her spiritual pursuits and philanthropic activities, as they relate to her zeal for art, and its importance in public life.