Frick Collection

10/14/2013

Gorgeous setting for a small yet interesting collection.

The house itself is a work of art.  The detail and craftsmanship are extraordinary.  

The art itself it a great mix.  Some masters mixed in with a variety of other artists.  Lots of paintings, but I found the sculptures and the numerous clocks fascinating.  The furniture is also incredible as well (just don't sit on anything that has a rope on it!).

It's small but if you get a guide or an audio tour, you can easily spend a couple of hours here.  

Hint:  this is a good place to take a date.  It makes you look smart and sophisticated but it's not too expensive ($20) and you can get in and out pretty quickly without killing your legs like if you went to the Met.

3/30/2014

This is one of my favorites, if not my absolute favorite museum in New York. It contains the most incredible and choicest collection of art I have ever seen in one place. And the mansion itself; WOW. A beautiful example of opulent gilded-age American architecture built by a plutocrat to house his art collection. The building itself is a work of art.

Add to that the incredible collection and exhibits that come through, and words cannot describe. I have never seen more than one Vermeer in the same room, the Frick has three!! Their collection of Dutch masters, Renaissance paintings, French furniture, musical instruments, enamel, and sculpture is second to none. Unlike bigger museums like the Met and MoMA which can be daunting, this smaller collection in a smaller building allows for more time to be spent with each piece, and contains more works of greater importance and beauty.

Admission was much cheaper when I was a student, only $5! But the $18 fee for adults is WELL worth it. When I'm in New York I never ever miss the chance to head up museum mile and visit this treasure.

9/15/2014

The Frick Collection is a sophisticated presentation. I cannot believe this is one of the original 'Millionaire Row' houses. The grounds and interior were gorgeous. When I started going through the home I was quite impressed. Then I arrived at the 'gallery' and was floored by the collection of art he had. Three Turners and three Rembrandt's in the same room. Then there was the round room done in only Whistler's. The staff and security were not only nice and pleasant but well informed on the museum, art, construction, history. I LOVE their no child under 10 rule. This was an extremely nice place to go. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND GOING TO THIS MUSEUM.

8/11/2013

Very well-curated museum with an intimate atmosphere. It's relatively small, but you can spend as much time here as you would at places double or triple its size. Each of the art works on display here is worth viewing, and the audioguides really help put them in historical context. It is obvious that Henry Clay Frick took great care in selecting the pieces and arranging them in a pleasing configuration. He often reunited portraits of couples that had previously been separated. He also ignored the general rule of categorizing art by school, instead displaying them in the most pleasing way.

91/100

12/10/2013

A gem of a small museum that's currently playing host to a blockbuster exhibit. And it's taking a toll. Come prepared, or come after January 19, when things return to normal.

You can read the other reviews for a general understanding of the Frick, which was indeed built as a private mansion. The blockbuster in question is an exhibit of Dutch Old Masters  from the Mauritshuis, in The Hague.

There are only 15 paintings Mauritshuis paintings to see here, but one of them is Vermeer's "Girl with a Pearl Earring." The lines stretch down the block to see this enigmatic work, with has been described as kind of a Dutch Mona Lisa. She even gets her own room! (It should be noted that the Frick's permanent collection boasts *three* Vermeers in an adjacent gallery. Art history buffs are fanning themselves as we speak.)

In my opinion, the rest of the exhibit is just as spectacular. A monumental Jan Steen (portraying a happily disheveled 17th-century party) has pride of place in the other gallery; you'll also find works there by Hals (my fav), Rembrandt, and ter Borch, bravura portraits and exquisite still lifes.

One modest work by the little-known painter Carel Fabritius hangs in a corner. In a bizarre coincidence, "The Goldfinch" arrived shortly before publication of a book of the same name by novelist Donna Tartt.

[The book is about the aftermath of a terrorist attack on the Met, where the painting is (fictionally) hanging; the real-life painting actually shows evidence of an explosion that killed Fabritius and destroyed half of Delft in 1654. Understandably, "The Goldfinch" is the sleeper hit of the exhibit, drawing crowds of its own.]

Still there, huh? Bless you. As a reward for reading so far, here's some advice about seeing the Mauritshuis exhibit:

* The lines are insane, weaving down the block at all hours. Members can cut the line and just stroll in. It's expensive, but not that much more than the regular entrance fee. If you can afford it, go for it.
* Join and get access to a first-Friday-of-the-month members-only session, which is apparently sparsely attended (!).  The remaining one is January 3, 6-9 pm.
* If you're not a member, go early. They let people in sporadically, to avoid overcrowding. The later in the day, the greater the chance of waiting in the cold.
* If you have a student ID, admission is $10. Sundays are "pay what you wish" between 11am and 1pm, but I can only imagine what that's like.
* The interior is simply not designed to handle this kind of crush, and the entryway and ticketing system are byzantine. The guards seem sick of this whole ordeal. Don't provoke them; this is a tough gig.
* The audio-guides are free and excellent. Grab one, b/c the info in the galleries is bare-bones.
* Check out the exhibit shop, painted to match the blue/purple turban of Girl with a Pearl Earring. You will want postcards, at the very least.

6/19/2013

Initial reaction: "What the frick is the Frick?"
The Frick is what you call "Old New York--" one of the last mansions left in NYC (yes, there were actual homes in NY!)

I find myself surrounded mostly by contemporary art; it's kind of a miracle if I do see an old painting and you can just imagine how in awe I was when I came here.

I'm not going to lie: I don't enjoy traditional art. I didn't have a lot of interest when I walked past most of the art here but I was more impressed by the interiors. The inside of this house of beautifully decorated and everything from the details of the gold-etched fabric walls to the atrium. However, I did like the ground floor, where there are pencil drawings; it was more innovative. If you ever want to know about New Yorkers from the last century and a half, this is your place. There is an extensive amount of work from famous artists before the avant-garde movement, like Vermeer and Goya.

It is incredibly hard to take photos because it's like there are security guards assigned to gawk on each visitor and they are incredibly rude about it. I wouldn't recommend paying the full admission price but rather coming here for Sunday noon's "pay as you wish."

7/22/2013

It's hard to rate museums, but boy was this worth it!!! My mom has been talking about this place for months now and I began to wonder what the hype was about! This was our first stop on a Friday afternoon. When we came out of a cab the place was majestic. Located in a peaceful neighborhood across Central Park I was glad to see no line!

After getting out little phone speakers we walked around astonished. This actually was Frick's house and he built it to eventually be a museum. They had to remodel it a bit after his death, but his presence and his taste in Art is still lingering here. You almost get to see how he lived and what his vision was to share with the people of New York.

This is by far my favorite museum and I strongly recommend for anyone to not miss this opportunity!

11/24/2013

Mesmerizing collection.

Besides from the plethora of classical art.  The furniture and overall architecture of the Frick mansion is unbelievable, provide perfect harmony with the intimate feeling of their entire collection.

The central garden court, is such a captivating spot, serving as the Frick "driveway" sort of speak, in the sense that its the gateway to the many different rooms adjourning the court.

When we when their temporary collection of some Northern European artists, showcasing Vermeer's "The Girl With the Pearl Earring"

They provide little devices that correlate to numbers of specific works of art, which provide a comprehensive description and narrative.

2/7/2014

A lovely exhibit of bronzes from 13th to 17th century.  The movie interviewing the collectors is worth watching.  Of course the three Vermeers are one of the big draws but everything Frick collected was choice.  See if you can go when a docent tour is going on.

1/15/2014

Absolutely love this place.  The museum was actually the home of Henry Frick which I think is the real charm of this place.  You really get a sense that you are looking at someone's personal art collection as often some of the pieces that are shown together don't really follow a theme, but I think it kind of humanizes the place.

The museum is also a manageable size, you can comfortably see the entire place in 3-4hours.

Added bonus: Sunday admission from 11am-1pm is pay as you wish.

1/9/2014

Love the Frick, the Art collection is amazing. It gives you a wonderful taste of The Masters in a truly beautiful environment. The building itself is worth the visit. Frick's home, now a museum is an excellent example of the Gilded Ages architecture and interior design.

The bonus on the visit was Vermeer's "The girl with a pearl earring". My wife and I always admired the work and the Frick gave us the opportunity to "bond" with it, up close and personal.

Don't forget to say hello to Rembrandt, Gainsborough, El Greco and the others.
Highly recommended.

8/30/2014

Am I visiting my fabulously rich friends great mansion? Kind of... This museum is wonderful. So well laid out. Even the pictures are thoughtfully arranged so that one form of a view or thought is in a room. Well, I guess you have to go there to understand. Beautiful manageable size museum. You will thank me if you go!! You are welcome!

11/29/2013

Didn't realize this was Henry Clay Frick's collection until after we paid admission. The man himself was a tyrant in the early 1900's as part of Carnegie's steel empire. Knowing his past somewhat took away from the experience.

Essentially it's a few pieces of art spread throughout this incredible estate (quite a few empty walls). The permanent collection is underwhelming and the cost of entry was $20 (I think). In my opinion you're much better off spending time and money at the Met.

11/16/2013

Unlike other museums around, the Frick Collection purely focuses on old master paintings which included some best known european painters.
The interior is gorgeous and it makes excellent harmony with their collections.

I almost wanted to take picture of their beautiful architecture but realized that photo shooting is not allowed in their building at all
Which was not negative point but rather very positive that increasing visitor's manner and behavior overall better than other museum, less loud too.
It is good feeling to be able to see art works while others are also actually see and read the works and description but not to shoot.

The service is excellent as well, they have enough staffs to offer friendly, elegant and quality support.

Their current special collection including painting of Girl with Turban and Pearl by Johannes Vermeer is something worth to see.

About the paintings and art works, which is the main and greatest part of Frick Collection but I will like everyone come and see with their eyes.

11/26/2014 Updated review

My 2nd visitation was much better than my 1st. I went to see paintings by Dutch masters, Vermeer, etc. Girl with the Pearl. Place was very crowded, and the line went around the block. Eventually I did get in. Paintings seemed much better lit this time, and the atmosphere was friendlier. I probably will come back at some point, most likely on the same day I go back to the Met up the street.

12/15/2013

One of my top three favorite art museums in the world and #1 in The City. The rooms, hallways and court yard are each their own unique experience. Once home to HCF, the space inside is masterfully created. Comparable to the experience inside the Isabella Gardner Museum: intimate and spectacular. Masterpieces you've seen in your Art History 101 course during your first year of college are plentiful. And it's across the street from Central Park!

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• See all photos from Ni N. for Frick Collection

11/26/2013

A truly beautiful building and a very fine art collection. I can't believe someone actually lived in this house. We came here specifically to look at the Girl with A Pearl Earring.

My wife told me that there was an assassination attempt on Henry Clay Frick, the industrialist who built the house and amassed the art collection currently on display as the permanent collection in this museum. Of course I had to immediately Google this, and it turned out he was quite the asshole so I don't doubt that he probably deserved it. Quite the contrast with his contemporary frenemy, Andrew Carnegie. But maybe I'm biased because I have a soft spot for Carnegie, having went to the school of his namesake.

One thing I did not like was their logistics management. My wife had bought a dual membership many weeks prior to the visit, and we still had not gotten the membership cards in the mail. So we were issued paper entrance tickets at the help desk, which, after about a minute, we gave away so we can enter the exhibit's viewing area. We then were also issued a couple of paper tickets to go to their current exhibit where the Girl with A Pearl Earring was, only to give those to a guard a mere 30 seconds later. Is there not a better way to do this rather than handing out paper tickets to people who then take about 10 steps to the spot where they need to hand over the tickets?

11/24/2014

Not sure which is more priceless here, the house or the art... The home is beautiful, definitely the product of a guy with way too much money on his hands. The art is very eclectic and it's easy to see the guy knew nothing of art, only the value, which makes it great since there's something here for everyone.

5/28/2014

Small but great works. I like the bronze horse they are displaying now

7/2/2014

Came here on a Wednesday evening around 4 PM and paid my $10 student admission. I opted for the audiobook since I had a couple of hours before closing  and always enjoy hearing about each individual piece. It was GREAT idea because the audiophone allows you to type in the number of the work and provides a brief narrative about the artist, subject, technique, etc. I learned so much about the art and gained a better understanding of the varied and cohesive collection (art on the walls and architecture). I also saw a large group of people sketching so I signed up online to go two weeks from now (it's free!).

3/12/2013

Two great things about the Frick:  The collection is a bit offbeat and arranged in a very interesting way that pays no attention to schools or time periods.  

Second, if you arrive before 1pm on Sunday you can get in for free and you can see the entire museum in about an hour.  

Well worth a visit next time you are in New York.

9/4/2013

I personally don't care too much about the "paintings" as I do for the beauty of art, if you want a more intimate museum than the met then go here! Go on Sunday when it's pay what you wish ( 1$) between 11-1pm, no drinks and NO photos allowed :-)

4/26/2014

I don't understand why so many people rave about this. Pros:  getting to see the first floor of an incredible mansion. Cons: it is almost as expensive as the Met with 1% of the art collection. Tiny really. The art was not that impressive. Some great Turners, a few Monets and rembrandts stand out.
Save the dollars and stay longer at the Met.

5/12/2014

Amazing museum. I love the fact they give audio tour with the purchase of the ticket. I came during "pay as you wish" hours during Sunday from 11am-1pm.

8/23/2013

This is a magnificent museum and a testament to the sophistication, good taste and high style of classic gilded age New York. This home was built when The American Dream was real and the USA's brilliant star was still ascendant.  A happy time for the wealthy in Manhattan.

This wonderful home of W. Frick is a work of art in itself. The paintings are exclusively of the highest quality. I sometimes spend hours here, thinking only 30 minutes has passed.

The central fountain is a wonderful place to linger and ponder just what the fuck is going on in this insane decade.

Hipsters and other assorted ass-licking poseurs need not visit this truly sacred space.

8/13/2013

Frick has a pretty awesome mansion.  Being right on Central Park and taking up a city block is unquestionably the ideal way to live in Manhattan, which he did for a mere few years before dying.  Don't feel bad for him though, by all accounts he was kind of a jerk and a founding member of the club that couldn't drop a few bucks on a dam, causing my alcohol purchases to be too damn expensive to this very day.

However, I dig historical homes, so I was admittedly fascinated by this guilded age monster.  There's a lot of beautiful architectural detail and original furniture in its lived in layout.  The artwork displayed throughout the house is in a more traditional museum arrangement, and it really feels like a museum in some of the larger rooms, which makes sense since Frick had a museum in mind when the house was built.  What's there is an interesting ensemble of Old Master paintings and sculpture.  Personally I found the home itself much more of a draw.

We went on a weekday, and it was pretty much just a trickle of people while we were there.  It's nice to not feel rushed and enjoy the free audio guide.  I wish the upstairs was accessible though.

5/10/2014

OK, I have to put this review into a certain context. I enjoyed this little museum quite a bit, but I do have to let folks know - if you want to see A LOT OF AWESOME ART, go to Guggenheim, MOMA, or the Met. This is much more intimate but the collection is also correspondingly smaller, even if it is a beautiful, well chosen collection. I found it was possible to walk around the museum within 1.5 hours - more if you listen attentively to the audio guide, less if you just yourself enjoy things without constant barrage of information. Beautiful pieces by Whistler, Vermeer, Goya, El Greco, Manet, great collection of small bronze sculptures (including a very memorable Sea Monster in one of the first rooms), pretty garden outside, a small court garden with a fountain inside (only place you can take pictures). I enjoyed it but then I also felt a little bit like, "wow, here's a cool piece!!" but I knew if I were at the MOMA, for example, I would not have felt quite as excited about finding Manet. Maybe that is the point...
The mansion is gorgeous - worth going for, and the furniture in many of the rooms was the kind I'd love to have at home (but never could!). I am told there are concerts here at times, if I lived here I'd hold a membership so I could go whenever I pleased.
Put it on your list if you're visiting the city, but closer to the middle after the top choices have been explored (see above).

12/27/2012

The Frick Collection is like dating a sexy girl with personality, drop dead gorgeous and intellectually stimulating. The architectural curves of the mansion convey a sense of sophistication and sass. As you undress her and expose the bare naked soul depicted by the ornate rooms and elegant art...that is when in dating a girl, that you know she is a keeper.

The mansion is a glimpse of the opulent lifestyle of the Gilded Age, the age of the Robber Barons. Henry Clay Frick was a steel titan who loved art. He planned to showcase the art in an artistic way, so when he built his house he planned to build the rooms around the paintings he had in his collection. Each room is designed to express and empower the artwork displayed. My favorite room was definitely the courtyard. It composed of a fountain surrounded by lush vegetation and ample sunlight. What a perfect place for me to think about the delicacies of life.

If you are on a date...don' t take your girl here...she may get jealous of Madame Frick...JK...this is a perfect place to bring a girl to reveal the dashing charming man you are

Prices:

Adult $18
Senior citizens (65 and over) $15
Students with valid identification $10
Children under 10 are NOT admitted

1/6/2013

Gilded age mansion housing Old Master paintings, European sculptures and oriental art: this museum was the collection of industrialist Henry Frick, whose life size portrait is on display in one of the rooms.

Free audio tour explains, describes and storytells as you glide from room to room, each one more majestic than the next.

11/2/2011

Man, this guy was super rich. He started off in the steel business in Pittsburgh, became a millionaire when he was 30, then moved to NY and started collecting a bunch of art. A lot of people hated him, but I'm not sure why. I like him...he's got the cool art and that's what all it really matters to me.

His museum attendants can be real dicks though. Sure there is a no photography policy, but as soon as you take out your cell phone it's like the anti-photo police is right there to make sure you are not using your cell phone to take pictures.

Anyways its $18 to get in, $10 for students. The NY City Pass is not honored here, but it is free for military so I managed to score on that. And the audio guide is part of your admission.

The drawing room has several painted wall panels, a chimney and several statues. The living hall has the St Gerome painting, with a guild bronze work clock from 17th century. And yes it still works. Very impressive. The Vetheul, which is city painted by Monet is here as well. And Thomas Gainsborough's Lady Innes is the centerpiece.

My favorite is the West Gallery which is 96 feet by 30 feet across with several Italian Renaissance and antiquities paintings and portraits. There are some Frans Hals works who is a contemporary of Rembrandt.

Other notables include the Veronese, Choice of Hercules and Wisdom and Strength; couple of Rembrandt paintings and several Anthony Van Dyck paintings.

Even if you're not an art enthusiast, you can still enjoy the architecture of the different types of rooms, the theater room, and a water fountain area. His house was pretty much designed to become a museum.

2/6/2013

This is my favorite museum I have visited in New York, hands down. I even like it better than the Met! The quality of the art here is outstanding and the variety is unexpectedly vast. I love the intimate atmosphere, you are actually visiting the original Frick mansion with the original furnishings and objects d'art. Highlights include the beautiful indoor atrium with a garden and fountain, the video of the history of the Frick Collection in the auditorium, and Fragnonard's "Progress of Love" drawing room.

Also don't miss the Van Eyck oil in the first room and the Ingres portrait in one of the main drawing rooms. I spent a few hours in this museum and didn't want to leave! Look for the collection of clocks and timepieces in the house, they are truly one of a kind and very interesting to learn about. The Frick gift shop is a really great place for the art and history nerd in your life; you can find a book about almost anything art related. I love that the Frick is lesser known, which equates to less crowds. I also love that children under 10 are not admitted. Call me mean but I like to view my art in peace.

5/15/2014

The Frick Collection is a small intimate art museum that you can easily finish in an hour and it's free on Sunday between 11am to 1pm.  I love all types of museums and the Frick Collection is definitely worth the visit if you don't have much time or don't want to feel rushed to see everything.  All the rooms are beautiful and the Garden Court is a great place to just sit and relax.  Also don't forget the basement exhibit which is located near the gift shop!

6/3/2013

I'm not sure if you realize this but I'm pretty classy. Yeah, I'm, like, totally cultured and stuff. I have this whole side of me that loves to look at art and be like "whoa, this is so cool and deep and intricate and important." I say those things, it's true. And when I really want to feel smart AND classy I go to the Frick, which used to be a dude's home. They have all these programs, like lectures and concerts and stuff that help revive the brain cells that were murdered when you decided to watch a marathon of that reality show you won't admit to your friends that you watch.

But even if you're not into art, or don't want to sit through a lecture, walking through the Frick, imagining that someone used to live there, surrounded by art and space, in the middle of Manhattan is transcending. Walking along the marble floors, into the carpeted rooms, with the intricate moldings on the ceilings, the placards on the furniture explaining the history of the cabinet, or the beverage dispenser, or the bowl leaves you transformed. When you go back to your home, looking around your Ikea clad existence and realize that it too has touches of your character, the things you love, the colors that make you happy or nostalgic. While you don't have the mega-bucks like Mr. Frick, you have style too, and that poster of that Banksy hanging over your sofa is also art, and should be appreciated.

8/29/2013

The Frick is probably number two on my list of favorite museums in NYC. It's definitely smaller than others (e.g. the Met, MOMA, the Gug), but I really love how it used to be an actual home, which was then converted into a museum. Everything has been carefully curated and preserved for our appreciation - not only the art, but the mansion itself.

6/27/2013

What the frick? Or I guess the real question is who?

The answer: Mr. Frick was Andrew Carnegie's coke dealer! That is, coke, the substance used in smelting steel.

Instead of 'blow'ing all the profits, Frick bought himself a mansion long Central Park East and began assembling a collection of art, furniture and decor which he planned to have on display after his death to the public.

Yes, folks, that is the coolness of this place in a nutshell, you are walking around some old dead guys house and checking out all his stuff (and it barely even smells like beef stew!).

I had an absolute blast -- man! this dead guy's house is way classier than Graceland --- though, to be fair, I did go with my Dad and he paid. I hear the music events they have are supposed to be pretty good.

After your visit, walk due West into Central Park and there's the beautifully situated Boathouse where you can proceed to get wasted!

4/23/2014

Best museum in NYC, at least in my opinion. Really, visit! It's worth it, at least if you want to see art.

12/29/2013

Vermeer, Rembrandt, Hals, and the most inspiration clocks that one can lay eyes on, what more is there to love? The staff doesn't play games when it comes to taking photos, so put on your sneaky rebel hat in order to sneak a few. This is a perfect date spot to take your art fiend lover. Enjoy!

3/15/2014

On of my favorite places to visit while in the city.  I visit almost every time I come to NY.  Its intimate and easy to get in and out of.  And, it's free on Sundays:)

8/1/2013

This place is amazing! Feel the life of frick and his wife in their untouched home. It's impressive that someone lived in a house like this, full of expensive furniture and lots of art works, el Greco, Vermeer and others. Perfect place to see and study minor art! And it's great to be able to see a smaller museum in the city for a more relaxed visit than the big ones like the met and the moma. Just loved it!

6/22/2013

Price: 10 dollar student, 18 adults, NYU students free.  And no children under 10 admitted (big plus). Includes free audio guide while you are in the museum (they give you a headset)

Attraction: beautiful mansion on the upper east side with views of the park from the windows.  A small, but nice collections.  Highlights (for me at least) incude that very famous portraits of Sir Thomas Moore, two large Turner paintings of French docks, and a cool bust of Louis XV as a child.

My favorite part of this museum is just checking out and learning the history of this old mansion and how it was converted into a public museum.  I feel bad for Frick's heirs losing out on this sweet crib, but a big win for the public.