New-York tribune., 1919-12-03
Friclx Gallery
OF Art To Be
Gift TO Public
Mansion on Fifth Avenue IN
Which Priceless ColIec-
ton l. Housed Designed
to Serve as a Museum,

The private art collection of Henry
{. Frick, the circumstances Of whose
death yesterday are told elsewhere in
The Tribune, is reputed to be one
OF the rarest in the world. Together
with his beautiful home at Fifth Ave
nue. and Seventeen Street it will ulti-
mately, under the terms of his will,
become q public art gallery Whether
The bequcst is to be made to the city
or to the state is to be determined
later
After J. rierpont Morgan died in
1913 Mr.. Frick became known in art
circles as this country's most ardent
and painstaklng collector He spared
neither time nor energy in obtaining
'or his homo the choicest Of old mas
terpicces. He is said TO have cXnendcd
many millions to satisfy his hobby.
His home built on the site Of the old
Astor Library, was designed with a
view to its conversion into a public
museum. II was erected under per
sonal direction Of Mr.. Frick by Carrere
e. Hastings the architects, and Sir
Charles Allen, an English expert. The
purpose was to give the art collection
a setting not SO much like that of a
might feel at home.
Women Planned Decorations
The interior decorations were d.
rcctcd by Mrs Frck and Miss Helen
Frick. Mrs. Frck's boudolr on the
second floor, with its panels painted
by Boucher, its exquisite furniture
and its Sevrcs vases, is one of the
most beautiful rooms in any private
dwelling.
Although he began collecting thirty
years ago, It was not until recent wears
that Mr.. FricK, with the help Of Sir
Joseph Duveen, who ransacked Europe
in his patrons behalf. was able to add
to his treasures many famous works
from the old world galleries. The re
suit has been a collection rivalcd only
by the Widencr gallery in Philadephia.
Prominent among the paintings arc
those from the Italian school. which IN
clude two portraits by Titan and Bel
lini's celebrated "St. Francis in the
Desert His Spanish pictures are by
Goya, NelasQuez and Greco, which form
a triumphant trio at one end Of the
gallery. The Dutch school is superbly
represented Rembrandt is conspicu-
Gus with his "Polish Horscman" and
the we'll known portrait of the painter
ton. The Van Dyck portraits include
such pieces as the Duke of A5ercorn' ;
"Portrait of a Lady" and Lord Claren-
dons group of "Thc Earl of Derby and
His Family
Three Nermeers in Collection
Three Ncrmeers constitute the gem
of the Dutch collection. They arc "The
Music Lesson" "The Soldier and the
Laughing Girls" and The Love Letter, '
the last of which was obtained few
weeks ago from a private collection in
Berlin.
The drawing room of the Frick home
contains the famous set OF pictures by
Fragonard, formerly the gems of the
Morgan collection. 1t is known that
Mr. Frick paid S1,250,o00 for these
panels.
For the modern school Mr. Frick
showed enthusiasm. His latest pur-
chase included the Whistler portraits
from the Richard Garfield collection
From the Morgan collection Mr.. Frick
obtained beautiful Italian bronzes,
a famous set of black hawthorn Chi
nese porcelains and splendid Limoges
enamcls. He also possessed several
busts by the French sculptor Houdon
and some magnificent Renaissance
furniture from the Chabriercs- Aries
galleries.
Proud TO Show Treasures
Mr.. Frick WAS always 'at home" even
to strangers who came to view his art
treasures. 1t was SAID he frequently
would Inconvenience his family or IN
terrupt a reception to show his gems
to persons who evinced enthusiasm
over them.
Art experts acquainted with the col
lection would not hazard guess as to
the value OF the collection. ut is
worth many, many Millions" said one
collector.
"Mr. Frick was student and lover
of art" said Judge f. II. Gary. by
the use of patience. thought and large
sums of money he formed one of the
finest collections in existence"
The story of the death OF Mr.. Frick
and an account Of his Hje Is on page
fourteen.]