Enamels Room

This space was designed as Mr. Frick’s study, complete with French doors that overlooked 71st Street and glass doors that opened on to the garden. The Enamels Room takes its name from the extraordinary collection of Limoges enamels, from the late 15th through the early 17th century, acquired by Frick in 1916 from the estate of J. P. Morgan. These enamels were later joined by fine Italian paintings, furniture, Renaissance bronzes, ceramics, timepieces, and other rare objects, creating the semblance of a precious treasury.

Sculpture and Decorative Art in the Enamels Room

The two glass display cases contain works drawn from the Frick’s holdings of French, Italian, and German Renaissance decorative arts. The installations are changed annually to draw fresh attention to individual objects, including recent acquisitions and special loans. Among the finely detailed works that can be appreciated at close range are French Limoges enamels, Italian bronze sculptures, and a St. Porchaire ceramic. The Enamels Room takes its name from the selection of French Renaissance enamels that have been displayed here since Henry Clay Frick acquired them in 1916–18. Made in Limoges in central France between the 16th and early 17th century, these enamels constitute one of the finest collections in the United States. These enamels and small bronzes reveal the combination of artistry and craftsmanship char- acteristic of objects that embellished the daily life of wealthy Renaissance nobles and merchants.