The Frick Collection Lecture Records

The Frick Collection, founded by Pittsburgh industrialist and art collector Henry Clay Frick (1849-1919), opened to the public in December 1935. Mr. Frick bequeathed his residence and art collection to establish a public art gallery for the purpose of "encouraging and developing the study of fine arts."

The Frick Collection lecture program began in October 1936, with a series of slide lectures by staff docents Andrew C. Ritchie and James W. Fosburgh on works of art in The Frick Collection. The lectures took place in the Lecture Room (now known as the Music Room). In 1937 the series of regular lectures by staff expanded its topic range by including lectures that were not limited in scope to Frick Collection works. Staff lectures also included courses of lectures (usually held in four or five weekly installments) on a broader topics in art. In some cases, when the topic concerned a work in The Frick Collection, the work was placed on view in the Lecture Room.

In September of 1937, Frederick Mortimer Clapp sent letters to potential lecturers outlining a proposed guest lecture program: “We are contemplating extending our lecture program at the Frick Collection by adding to the schedule of talks by our own staff lectures by well-known critics and scholars…The lecture should, roughly speaking, deal with art or some phase of European or American art or art history within the grasp of the general public. It should not treat of matters of interest to specialists and, on broad lines, should not at this time deal with architecture or classic times or the Orient. These will possibly come later.” The guest lecture program was initiated on November 14, 1937, with a lecture on Aspects of the Modernistic Movement in Art by Everett V. Meeks of the Yale University School of the Fine Arts. Among the other lecturers during the program's first season were Royal Cortissoz, Walter Pach and Theodore Sizer.

While lectures given by Frick Collection staff continued during World War II, guest lectures were suspended from April 1944 until October 1946.

At times, special lecture series were held. During the 1943-1944 lecture season, the Art and Music series was held twice, alternating lectures week by week with related concert performances. A visiting lecture program was held in 1956, 1968 and 1969, with each visiting lecturer giving from four to eight lectures on a specific topic. Four visiting lecturers participated in 1956, and two each in 1968 and 1969. A special guest lecture series was held for the 50th anniversary of The Frick Collection from March to May, 1971.

Guest lecturers over the years included curators, academics, critics, and writers. Topics were most often related to art, but on occasion covered subjects such as architecture, music, theater and poetry. Special lecturers of note include T.S. Eliot, Stephen Spender, Jacques Barzun, and Philip Johnson. Many lectured at the Frick numerous times over the years; the most prolific lecturers included Sir John Pope-Hennessy, Erwin Panofsky, Edgar Wind, James Johnson Sweeney, George Harold Edgell, and W.G. Constable.