Like the nearby Yellow and Macknight rooms, the Blue Room reflects the life and times of Isabella Gardner. More intimate than the grand galleries on the two upper floors, the Blue Room is filled with memories of Gardner’s large circle of friends. Works by John Singer Sargent are displayed along with those of less-famous artists Ralph Curtis and Joseph Lindon Smith. In the cases you will find memorabilia of others who helped broaden her understanding and appreciation of art interspersed with letters and photographs of American literary figures.

In fall 1995, the elaborate silk wall coverings in the Blue Room were restored to their historic appearance. The gallery’s walls were covered in five different 18th-century silk fabrics (a moiré stripe, two damasks, and two brocattlles), all in shades of blue. The original fabrics were purchased by Isabella Gardner in Europe and assembled by her in a single installation. This layering effect reflected Gardner’s often-eclectic aesthetic and contributed to the room’s original elegance and intimacy. In the 1950s, the original fabrics were replaced with a single fabric (a reproduction of the moiré stripe) due to wear and tear. To recreate the original look, conservators relied on remnants of the original fabrics from the Museum’s archives or found under the 1950s fabric and, in partnership with Scalamandre of New York and the Humphries Weaving Company, Ltd., worked to recreate and reinstall all five patterns. The reinstallation of these fabrics in Gardner’s original pattern returns the gallery closer to its original appearance and Gardner’s original intent.