Revival of Gilded Age elegance — “The Frick Collection: The Historic Interiors” by Xavier F. Salomon

mymoderndarcy
4 minutes ago
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Dear readers, as the holiday season approaches, selecting a thoughtful Christmas gift as a gentleman becomes an art in itself. A well-chosen present not only reflects your knowledge, refined taste, and sensitivity toward sophisticated elegance but also delivers an unexpected, unforgettable delight to your loved ones, adding a magical touch to the festive harmony. Speaking of gifts, have you considered your Christmas shopping ideas yet? If you seek a gift that is simple, tasteful, and far from ostentatious, particularly for someone passionate about art history and interior design, I have a little suggestion here! The beautifully crafted coffee table book titled “The Frick Collection: The Historic Interiors” might be a wonderful gift option.

Published by Rizzoli Electa in September, the book is authored by Mr. Xavier F. Salomon, Deputy Director and Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator at The Frick Collection. This sumptuous volume showcases the impressive art collection alongside the interiors of the Frick mansion following its multi-year restoration, which culminated in the museum’s reopening earlier this year. Featuring newly commissioned photography by London-based writer and photographer, Mr. Miguel Flores-Vianna, whose work frequently graces Architectural Digest and Cabana magazines, the book offers a visual journey through this iconic 1914 residence of late American industrialist, Mr. Henry Clay Frick, inviting one to witness the transformation of the space from a private home to a public museum.

Located at 1 East 70th Street in New York, this grand museum once served as the private mansion of the late Mr. Henry Clay Frick, a determined and culturally astute American industrialist born in West Overton, Pennsylvania. Frick cultivated a lifelong passion for art, embarking on numerous European trips to nurture his taste for fine arts while expanding his coke and steel business empire. Married to Adelaide Howard Childs, the couple had a daughter, Helen Clay Frick. By the 1890s, Frick began acquiring artworks mainly by contemporary European artists, many French, including Jules-Adolphe Breton, Charles-François Daubigny, and Jean-François Millet, among others. His collection also included exquisite American furniture and art objects from Tiffany & Co.

In 1905, upon deciding to settle permanently in New York with his family, Frick sought to create a refined, comfortable residence described as “simple, in good taste, and not ostentatious”. In late 1906, he purchased a plot of land on Fifth Avenue between East 70th and 71st Streets, collaborating with architects and designers such as Mr. Thomas Hastings of Carrère & Hastings, British architect Sir Charles Carrick Allom, who had redecorated parts of Buckingham Palace, and famed interior decorator, Ms. Elsie de Wolfe, Frick’s mansion took shape over several years. By autumn 1914, the Frick family moved in, hosting their first spring season of grand entertaining in 1915. Contemporary newspapers praised the mansion as “the most costly and sumptuous city residence in the United States”, its interiors blended British patrician country house elegance, Beaux-Arts Italian influences, and American classic styles emblematic of the Gilded Age. The mansion's materials for the interior included Indiana limestone, Italian marble, oak flooring, harmonized with modern elements like a glass and bronze bridge and custom Murano glass lanterns, complementing Frick’s art treasures. Among them, the Morgan collection, originally owned by J. Pierpont Morgan, stood out. Frick encountered it at a Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition in early 1914 and subsequently acquired most of the pieces after Morgan’s passing, which included Fragonard canvases, European bronzes, French enamels, and Chinese porcelain. Though Frick planned a major expansion after purchasing adjacent land in 1915, World War I and his death in December 1919 put these plans on hold. He lived in the mansion for only five years.

In his will, Frick stipulated that his home be opened to the public as a museum “for the benefit of all persons whomsoever”, allowing his widow Adelaide to reside there for the rest of her life. After his death, his children managed the Board of Trustees and Acquisitions Committee, appointed the museum’s first director, and transformed the mansion accordingly. The museum officially opened in late 1935.

Fast forward to 2020, The Frick Collection underwent its first major renovation since opening, a five-year restoration and expansion led by Selldorf Architects, in collaboration with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners. As the museum reopened its doors in April this year, not only it retain its classic grandeur and features spectacular interiors alongside priceless works of art by renowned artists showcased in the West Gallery and the signature Fragonard Room, famed for its French chateau ambiance. For the first time in history, the museum’s second floor is now open to the public! This visual tour through the book celebrates not only the precious art that Mr. Frick bequeathed to New York City, but also the ongoing dedication of the museum team to preserve this cultural treasure and enhance the visitor experience.

For aficionados of interior design and art history, this book is a unique Christmas gift, invoking the artistic inspiration and refined elegance of the Gilded Age to enrich the festive season.

Image courtesy of Rizzoli USA. © The Frick Collection: The Historic Interiors of One East Seventieth Street by Xavier F. Salomon, Rizzoli Electa, 2025

https://www.rizzoliusa.com/book/9780847874361/

My Modern Darcy

Refined & elegant lifestyle for fine gents

Revival of Gilded Age elegance — “The Frick Collection: The Historic Interiors” by Xavier F. Salomon