Rembrandt Painting Stolen from Boston Museum Appears in New 'Knives Out' Film

A reproduction of the missing 'Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee' makes a brief cameo in the Netflix mystery series.

Jan. 29, 2026 at 8:47am

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In the latest installment of the Knives Out mystery series on Netflix, titled "Wake Up Dead Man," a reproduction of Rembrandt's "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee" painting, which was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston in 1990, makes a brief appearance in the background of a scene. The painting, which Rembrandt created at the age of 27, is one of 13 masterpieces stolen in the infamous 1990 art heist from the museum.

Why it matters

The appearance of the stolen Rembrandt painting in the new Knives Out film keeps the unsolved art theft in the public consciousness, even though the actual painting remains missing. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is currently in the midst of an ambitious restoration project for the Dutch Room where the painting was displayed before the theft, as they continue to search for the lost artworks.

The details

In the scene, the Rembrandt painting is visible when Father Jud Duplenticy, played by Josh O'Connor, is writing at his desk. This is the only time the room appears in the film. The painting depicts a biblical scene of panicked disciples struggling to regain control of their fishing boat after a sudden storm, with Rembrandt himself appearing as one of the figures looking out at the viewer. While impressive art cameos are common in the Knives Out series, the appearance of this specific stolen painting was not the result of a collaboration between the production and the Gardner Museum.

  • Rembrandt painted "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee" in 1633, when he was 27 years old.
  • The painting was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston during the infamous 1990 art heist.
  • The latest Knives Out film, "Wake Up Dead Man," featuring the cameo of the stolen Rembrandt painting, was released on Netflix in 2026.

The players

Rembrandt

A Dutch Golden Age painter who created the biblical scene "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee" in 1633 at the age of 27.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

A museum in Boston, Massachusetts that was the victim of a famous art heist in 1990, during which 13 masterpieces were stolen, including Rembrandt's "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee."

Benoit Blanc

The detective character played by Daniel Craig in the Knives Out mystery series, who makes a reference to the missing Rembrandt painting in "Wake Up Dead Man."

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What they’re saying

“We see several of our stolen works of art—especially Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee—in popular culture all the time. It feels like it's become part of the popular imagination.”

— Nat Silver, Associate Director and Chief Curator, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (artnet.com)

“One of the things that we're missing, that is for sure something I know Gardner did on purpose, is that the Storm on the Sea of Galilee is directly opposite of Rembrandt's Self-Portrait, Age 23 (1629). And he paints himself into the Storm on the Sea of Galilee—he's the figure looking out and directly engaging with the viewer, but because of where she placed it, he's looking at himself.”

— Holly Salmon, Director of Conservation, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (artnet.com)

What’s next

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is nearing the completion of an ambitious multi-year restoration project for the Dutch Room, where the stolen Rembrandt painting was previously displayed. The restoration is expected to be finished by the end of 2026, at which point the room will be deinstalled and the walls will be taken down to the studs before being rewoven with upholstery.

The takeaway

The appearance of the stolen Rembrandt painting in the new Knives Out film highlights how the unsolved art theft from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum has become part of the popular imagination, even as the museum continues its efforts to restore the space where the masterpiece once hung and search for the missing artworks.