Pittsburgh museum displaying masterpieces from Henry Clay Frick's collection for a limited time
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Because The Frick Collection, the New York City museum that houses most of the Frick family art, is currently undergoing a massive renovation, Pittsburgh is reaping all the rewards of having some of their great works in town for part of the spring and summer.
Elizabeth Barker, the executive director of The Frick Pittsburgh, says all the art on display was collected by Henry Clay Frick and his daughter Helen over the course of their lifetimes and the collection they amassed is, in a word, priceless.
"This is really the kind of exhibition museum directors only dream of," said Barker. "What makes this exhibition so special is that it is the first-time folks will be able to watch Henry Clay Frick develop as an art collector. He starts by buying some local landscapes, he works up the courage as he has access to more things and by the end, he is one of the greatest art collectors in the history of western art."
While there are over 60 works from some of the world's great artists in this collection, prominently featured in this exhibition are three paintings, "Girl Interrupted at Her Music" by Vermeer, "Banks of the Seine at Lavacourt" by Monet, and the famous "Self-Portrait" of Rembrandt.
"Rembrandt painted this 'Self-Portrait' in 1658, when he was going through a really tough patch," Barker said. "He had lost most of his money, his wife had died. He was a single dad raising a little kid about to downsize significantly and I think it is so inspiring that he depicts himself not as someone who's despondent or down and out, but someone who's resilient and still commanding. I think he is showing us, that he knows, he's still got it."
Sadly, Rembrandt's life ended in poverty, and he was buried in a rented unmarked grave. But be that as it may, his work and legacy lives on.
This one-of-a-kind exhibition is at the Frick until July 14, so you want to make sure you get here before they are gone. Tickets for non-members start at $24 and you must select an entry time when purchasing. There are also several big programs surrounding this new exhibition that are available to the public. The demand for tickets is currently very high, so you're if you are interested, you may want to book sooner, rather than later.
