A remarkable gift of twenty-eight fine and decorative works of art was recently bequeathed to the Frick by Alexis Gregory (1936–2020). They were shown as a group for the first time at Frick Madison during the winter and spring of 2023. The gift includes two eighteenth-century pastels, fifteen Limoges enamels, two eighteenth-century clocks, a large gilt-bronze figure of Louis XIV, and objects made of metal, enamel, and hardstone dating from the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries.
Founder of The Vendome Press, a highly respected publisher of art and architecture books, Gregory built a major art collection over the decades. He created a veritable Kunstkammer, a chamber or cabinet of curiosities displaying objects of diverse origins and materials and intended to impress, instruct, and stimulate. Such rooms first appeared in sixteenth-century European courts and are often regarded as precursors to the modern museum. The exhibition of this generous gift presented a substantial grouping from Gregory’s eclectic assemblage.
This exhibition was organized by Marie-Laure Buku Pongo, Assistant Curator of Decorative Arts, and is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue.
This exhibition is generously funded by the Alexis Gregory Foundation.
James Cox (British, ca. 1723–1800), Musical Automaton Rhinoceros Clock, ca. 1765–72. Gilt bronze, silver, enamel, paste jewels, white marble, and agate, 15 9/16 x 8 3/8 x 3 1/2 in. (39.5 x 21.3 x 8.9 cm). The Frick Collection, gift of Alexis Gregory, 2021. Photo: Joseph Coscia Jr.