"Head of an Angel" - Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) - 17th century, terracotta, coated with dark brown paint flaked with copper.
The Frick Collection, on East 70th Street in New York, along with a number of other small museums, is one of my favorites. The Cluny Museum and the Rodin Museum in Paris, the Convento di San Marco in Florence, and the Courtauldt Museum in London are among the others. They're small places, filled with art treasures that you can look at and linger with and see them all in half a day. I love that.
Of course, I'm thrilled to visit the great museums, but they can overwhelm, and I'm often left wondering what to see first and end up feeling rushed and worn out, because time runs out, and my feet wear out.
I adore the angel by Bernini that is pictured above. The first time I saw it, I gasped at the sight of it, my breath audible, because the sculpture is so full of life. The sweet smile and the tilt of the head are absolutely endearing. I fell in love at first sight.
The museum is housed in the former Henry Clay Frick mansion, facing Central Park. After the deaths of both Mr. and Mrs. Frick, the collection was opened to the public. And what a collection it is!
From the website:
The Frick Collection includes some of the best-known paintings by the greatest European artists, major works of sculpture (among them one of the finest groups of small bronzes in the world), superb eighteenth-century French furniture and porcelains, Limoges enamels, Oriental rugs, and other works of remarkable quality.
The museum was celebrating a new acquisition by Parmigianino, titled Antea. A thing of beauty it is, with the lovely face and neck with glowing skin, the luscious satin and lace. Of course, there's the dead marten draped over her shoulder, which put me off a little.
The Living Hall is one of my favorite rooms. On the fireplace wall are three magnificent 16th century portraits, El Greco's "St. Jerome" and on either side Hans Holbein the Younger's two Thomases, "Thomas Moore" and "Thomas Cromwell".
From past visits, I remembered the Rembrandts at the Frick, one his many self-portraits and another titled "The Polish Rider", whose authenticity was uncertain until recently, but opinion has come down in favor of its being a true work of the master. As I walked through the gallery, I had another breathless moment as I came upon the painting "Nicolas Ruts" by Rembrandt. I was taken by surprise, because I didn't remember ever seeing this painting in previous visits. I don't know whether it was out on loan or not being exhibited at those times. I bought a catalog of the collection, and the painting is not included in the catalog either. Anyway, it's wonderful and it was quite an unexpected pleasure to find it.
Oh, I could go on. Vermeer, Hals, Van Dyke, Goya, and El Greco's splendid "Purification of the Temple", shown below.
