‘Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt’ at the Frick Pittsburgh

By Sam Bates and Nora Sweeney-Gladen 

On Saturday, April 6, the Frick Art Museum of Pittsburgh opened its new landmark exhibition, titled “Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt: Forging the Frick Collections in Pittsburgh & New York.” 

Remarkably, the show contains Rembrandt’s masterpiece 1658 self-portrait — often considered one of the greatest portraits of all time. As the title mentions, the exhibition also features works by Vermeer (the first Vermeer to be shown in Pittsburgh since 1940) and Monet. The title does not relay the many art history pillar-like figures who are equally present. 

Around every corner is a lush Gainsborough or a vibrant El Greco to greet you. Why so many legendary artists? Henry Clay Frick founded two major self-titled art museums with his vast collection: the Frick Pittsburgh, and the Frick Collection in New York City. While the Frick Collection in Manhattan is under renovation until late 2024, a rare opportunity was taken to share these iconic works of art rather than keeping them in a storage facility. This is the first time since the Pittsburgh installment was built in 1990 and the New York location in 1935 that works from each museum will be merged and shown together, and likely the last time an occurrence like this will happen again. 

“Vermeer, Monet, Rembrandt” makes another radical move by putting equal focus on Frick’s daughter, Helen Clay Frick, highlighting her importance in the history of the family’s collecting. Dawn Brean, chief curator and director of collections stated in a press conference that “Helen approached collecting as a scholar and art historian,” a fact only emphasized by the fact that it was Helen who oversaw the opening of the New York galleries. 

The exhibition itself takes great care to display the tastes of Helen and her father side by side. While Henry preferred the Old Masters and contemporary French work, Helen took a keen interest in medieval and Early Renaissance painting and sculpture. By comparing these sometimes different, sometimes similar artistic eras, the show examines the complexities of the two Fricks, and by extension, the complexities of all our relationships and families as a whole.

The exhibition will be open until July 14.