What's Her Story: Elsie de Wolfe

The year 2020 marks the one-hundredth anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted millions of women in the U.S. the right to vote. The Frick is celebrating with a series of videos honoring the stories of women who made, appeared in, collected, and took care of art in this collection.

In the second-to-last episode, meet Elsie de Wolfe, America's first professional interior designer, who decorated the Frick's Fifth Avenue home. #WhatsHerStory

“Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe).” In “Vogue” (February 15, 1941). Image Horst P. Horst/Condé Nast via Getty Images

Harris & Ewing, “Capitol, U.S. Visitors, Etc. Woman Suffrage,” 1914. Glass negative. Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington (LC-H261- 3901 [P&P]). Image Courtesy Library of Congress, Washington

“Residence, Henry Clay Frick, Fifth Ave and 70th St., New York.” In “Architecture” 30 (November, 1914): pl. CXXV

Bain News Service, “Elsie de Wolfe,” 1914. Glass negative. Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Washington (LC-B2- 3020-5 [P&P]). Image Courtesy Library of Congress, Washington

Billy Rose Theatre Collection, “Elsie de Wolfe.” New York Public Library Digital Collections (TH-08428). Image Courtesy New York Public Library

“Trellis Room, The Colony Club.” In “The House in Good Taste” by Elsie de Wolfe. New York: The Century Co., 1913

“The Private Dining-Room, The Colony Club.” In “The House in Good Taste” by Elsie de Wolfe. New York: The Century Co., 1913

“Elsie de Wolfe.” In “The House in Good Taste” by Elsie de Wolfe. New York: The Century Co., 1913. Image Courtesy New York Public Library

“Elisabeth Marbury and Elsie de Wolfe.” In “My Crystal Ball: Reminiscences” by Elisabeth Marbury. New York: Boni and Liveright, 1923. Image Mattie E. Hewitt

Bernard Boutet de Monvel, “Portrait of Lady Mendl,” 1936. Oil on canvas, 23 1/8 x 27 1/8 in. (60 x 69 cm). Private Collection. Image © Christie’s Images/Bridgeman Images