West Gallery

Mr. Frick’s collection had grown so large that it required a grand viewing space. In place of a ballroom, a Picture Gallery was created and occupied the most commanding location in the house. The gallery’s design recalls those of English country houses and the royal salons of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. In the remodeling of the original house in the 1930s, the appearance of the renamed West Gallery was altered by the addition of the large arched portals at either end.

Decorative Art in the West Gallery

Except for the modern sofas, some of the furniture in this room, which was purchased between 1915 and 1918, dates in part from the Italian Renaissance, predominantly from the 16th century. The eight elaborately carved walnut cassoni served as storage chests. The large center table bears the arms of the Giovanelli family of Milan and Venice. The eight folding armchairs, of a type called Savonarola chairs, recall a form of backless seating produced in antiquity.