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Gardner integrated Roman, Byzantine, Romanesque, Renaissance, and Gothic elements in the magnificent courtyard, which is out of bounds but can be viewed through the graceful arches surrounding it.

The space that houses some of Gardner’s most impressive acquisitions was the scene of of an incredible art heist in 1990: among the 13 works stolen were a Vermeer and two Rembrandts.

Appreciate John Singer Sargent’s splendid and somewhat risqué 1888 portrait of Mrs Gardner as well as medieval liturgical artwork from the 13th century.

The most artistically significant gallery was conceived by Gardner as the palazzo’s grand reception hall. It has a distinctly Italian flavor and showcases Titian’s Europa , one of the greatest masterpieces in the US.

Roman sculptural fragments and busts line glass cases crammed with unusual 15th- and 16th-century books and artifacts. One such rare tome is a 1481 copy of Dante’s The Divine Comedy , featuring drawings by Botticelli.

Gardner was the first collector to bring works by Raphael to the US; three of the artist’s major works are on display here, alongside Botticelli’s Tragedy of Lucretia and Crivelli’s St.George and the Dragon.

This room houses two series of 16th-century Belgian tapestries, each comprised of five individual works: one depicts Scenes from the Life of Cyrus the Great and another Scenes from the Life of Abraham .

Fans of the Impressionists need look no further than these rooms which house portraits and sketches by the likes of Manet, Matisse, Degas, and Sargent. Of particular note is Sargent’s Mrs. Gardner in White .

With stunning mosaic tiling and a Moorish arch, the Spanish Cloister looks like a hidden patio at the Alhambra. But Sargent’s sweeping El Jaleo (1882), all sultry shadows and rich hues, gives the room its distinctiveness.

With its richly gilded and painted Spanish-leather wallcoverings, it’s easy to miss this gallery’s highlight: look up at Paolo Veronese’s 16th-century masterwork The Coronation of Hebe .