Explore the largest art heist in modern history, the 1990 theft at the IsabellaStewart-Gardner Museum. A free screening of the documentary, Stolen, will play at the Milton Public Library, 476 Canton Avenue in Milton in the Keys Community Room (lower level) on Monday, September 23, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m., sponsored by the Milton Historical Society.

This award winning documentary recounts the fascinating characters involved: from the 19th century Grand Dame Isabella Gardner to the 17th century Dutch masters to a 21st century terrorist organization with a penchant for stealing Vermeers. Harold Smith, the renowned art detective pursued the mystery of the stolen works with an obsession. With Mr. Smith as a guide Stolen journeys into the mysterious and surreal world of stolen art and examines the many possibilities as to where the art might be.

Contemporary authors discussing the power of Vermeer’s work, as well as collector Isabella Stewart Gardner’s turn-of-the-century correspondence (read by Blythe Danner) with her advisor Bernard Berenson (read by Campbell Scott.) These subplots give the film a larger context and help illuminate just what the world has lost.

The documentary is connected to Milton Reads’ 2013 book selection The Gardner Heist: The True Story of the World’s Largest Unsolved Art Theft by Ulrich Boser. The Friends of the Milton Public Library are sponsoring Milton Reads. For more information, contact Shirley Pyne, Adult Services Library at spyne@ocln.org or telephone 617-698-5757.