The Frick Collection
Today is the last day of the exhibition dedicated to Andrea Riccio at The Frick Collection. Riccio was one of the most creative sculptors of the Italian Renaissance. It is a snowy Sunday and also a pay-as-you-wish day so I took advantage of that.
On view were 31 pieces of sculpture both classical and religious subjects mostly figurative statuettes and others are functional objects. From a sampling of the bronze masterpieces, what appealed to me most were Shouting Horseman and Boy with a Goose with it's exquisitely chiseled goose feathers and the boy's curly hair. Sword Pommel and Guard with the very fine details of Medusa's head is a breathtaking piece. The ithyphallic 21-inch male figure Drinking Satyr deserves the superlatives.
The small-scale statuettes are fancifully crafted in bronze, one must pay close attention to the embellished helmets, the folds in the muscles of the small bodies, the curls, the scales on the fish and the snakes, all in magnificent details. The smallest piece I believe is the Putto (figure of a pudgy little naked baby, almost always male) which is about 2 to 3 inches in height. Sculpture as I've never experienced viewing before. Just awesome!
The Garden at the Frick Mansion
The Frick Collection is housed in the former residence of Henry Clay Frick. Preserved in the ambience of Mr. Frick's private house, the collection is a rich mix of the finest paintings and other works of art by the greatest European artists.
The inner Garden Court (not pictured) with it's grand fountain and garden provides a peaceful setting for the elegant mansion and a place for the weary art lovers to take a break. The mansion itself covering almost an entire city block is a true work of art. Come visit.
A grand exhibition on a small scale but in a grand setting.
