Gardner Museum Solves Mystery of 17th-Century Chairs

Conservators used AI and archival research to restore the original upholstery of the museum's iconic Dutch Room chairs.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Conservators at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston have spent the last two years solving the mystery of how to restore a set of 17th-century gilt chairs in the museum's Dutch Room to their original appearance. Using a combination of AI colorization technology, archival research, and careful examination of the chairs themselves, the team was able to determine the chairs were originally upholstered in a vibrant red and pink striped fabric, in keeping with the founder's vision for the space.

Why it matters

The restoration of the Dutch Room chairs is part of a larger, three-year effort to return the iconic gallery to its original appearance as envisioned by the museum's founder, Isabella Stewart Gardner. The Gardner is known for its strict adherence to Gardner's wishes, and this project highlights the museum's commitment to preserving her specific aesthetic and design choices, even down to the upholstery of the furniture.

The details

The conservation team faced a challenge in that the original upholstery of the 14 gilt chairs was long gone, having been replaced multiple times over the years. They turned to archival photos and letters from the museum's early years, as well as AI colorization software, to try to determine the original color scheme. After stripping one of the chairs down to the frame, they found a small piece of faded red thread, confirming their suspicion that the chairs were originally a vibrant red and pink striped fabric.

  • The Dutch Room restoration project has been ongoing for the past three years.
  • The conservation team has been working on the chair restoration for the past two years.

The players

Anna Rose Keefe

The textiles conservator at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum who has been leading the effort to restore the Dutch Room chairs.

Holly Salmon

The director of conservation at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, overseeing the broader Dutch Room restoration project.

Kathleen King

The registrar at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, who helped uncover historical clues about the chairs' original appearance.

Isabella Stewart Gardner

The founder of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, who carefully curated the museum's design and layout, including the Dutch Room, to her specific tastes.

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What they’re saying

“My perfect vision would be that the fabric had been hiding underneath the show cover. That is not what happened.”

— Anna Rose Keefe, Textiles Conservator (WBUR)

“In a project like this, we try to really think about what she intended us to see.”

— Holly Salmon, Director of Conservation (WBUR)

“We just came back to the photographs and were like, 'we have to figure out what these photos are trying to tell us.'”

— Kathleen King, Registrar (WBUR)

What’s next

The restored Dutch Room, including the newly upholstered chairs, will be unveiled to the public later this year as part of the museum's grand reopening following the three-year restoration project.

The takeaway

The Gardner Museum's meticulous restoration of the Dutch Room, down to the precise color and pattern of the chair upholstery, demonstrates the institution's unwavering commitment to preserving the original vision of its founder, Isabella Stewart Gardner. This attention to detail helps maintain the museum's unique character and historic charm for future generations of visitors.