This spring, for the first time, The Frick Pittsburgh partners with New York-based The Frick Collection for an exhibition that has the art world abuzz. From April 6 through July 14, 2024, visitors can witness the union of two spectacular collections at The Frick Pittsburgh featuring famous artists Vermeer, Monet, and Rembrandt.
Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres (French, 1780–1867), Louise, Princess de Broglie, Later the Comtesse d’Haussonville, 1845. Oil on canvas, 51 7/8 x 36 ¼ in. The Frick Collection, New York.
Art History Comes to Pittsburgh
Dawn R. Brean, chief curator, and director of collections, explains that bringing Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt: Forging the Frick Collections in Pittsburgh and New York to life has been a labor of love and a project in the making for a decade-plus. “Frick family descendants are closely involved with both the Frick Pittsburgh and the Frick Collection in New York City, and they have long endeavored to unite the collections of Henry Clay Frick and our founder, his daughter, Helen,” she explains. “Their shared passion for art is the foundation that both museums blossomed from, and it’s an exciting prospect to see their visions displayed side-by-side for the first time in the history of both institutions.”
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn (Dutch, 1606–1669), Self-Portrait, 1658. Oil on canvas, 52 5/8 x 40 7/8 in. The Frick Collection, New York.
Brean deems this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “Renovations at the Frick Collection have afforded us the incredible opportunity to display some of the Frick Collection’s most precious gems,” she says, “including works by Titian, Rembrandt, Monet, Degas, and Vermeer, which aren’t often exhibited outside of major cities.”
The Long Haul
It comes as no surprise that mounting an exhibition of this scale involves major inter-organizational effort. For years, the Frick Pittsburgh team has worked with the registrars and curators in New York to ensure the pieces’ safe packing and travel. Their staff will courier three dozen works here from New York, then helping oversee the unpacking and condition reporting. “Each artwork has specific installation guidelines for hardware, mounts, and safe lighting levels for the most sensitive works,” Brean says. “These requirements will help guide the installation in our galleries.”
Johannes Vermeer (Dutch, 1632–1675), Girl Interrupted at Her Music, ca. 1658-1659. Oil on canvas, 15 ½ x 17 ½ in. The Frick Collection, New York.
So why Pittsburgh? As the industrial center where Frick grew his wealth and reputation as a formidable businessman, it’s also where he cultivated his passion for art and collecting. Many of his earliest acquisitions, including Vermeer’s Girl Interrupted at Her Music, once hung in Clayton, the family’s Pittsburgh home. “This exhibition marks, in a sense,” says Brean, “a homecoming for some of these works, as well as an origin story for how both our museums came to be.”
Brean advises reserving tickets as soon as possible. “We’re anticipating a great deal of interest and excitement around this exhibition,” she says. Folks can also register in early 2024 to enjoy free admission on select days, thanks to generous supporters.
Claude Monet (French, 1840–1926), Banks of the Seine at Lavacourt (Bords de la Seine a Lavacourt), 1879. Oil on canvas, 22 7/8 x 31 ½ in. Frick Art & Historical Center, Pittsburgh.
Story by Corinne Whiting / Photography courtesy of The Frick Pittsburgh
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