Entrancing New York Exhibition at the Frick Madison: The Gregory Gift

Portrait of Woman, ca. 1730 by Rosalba Carriera (1673 ~1757). Pastel on paper, glued on canvas. Cover detail of a 16th century plaque, by Jean de Court. Limoges, enamel on copper, parcel gilt. Both from the Frick Collection, Gift of Alexis Gregory, 2020 and 2021. Photographs: Joseph Coscia Jnr. 

Prepare to be transported through time and space to a world of exquisite decorative arts as we explore The Frick Collection's latest exhibition. The Gregory Gift, a bequest from the collection of Alexis Gregory, is a beautifully curated show of twenty-eight objects rich in historical and cultural significance. Among them are fifteen Limoges enamels, two clocks, and two ewers, to name just a few.  The collection echoes the Kunstkammers created by princes during the Renaissance, where they would display a variety of precious objects, opening new areas of research, writes Antonio Visconti 

James Cox (British ca. 1723~1800)

Musical Automation Rhinoceros Clock

ca.1765~1772. Gilt bronze, silver, enamel,

paste jewels, white marble and amber.

39.5 x 21.3 x 8.9cm. The Frick Collection

Gift of Alexis Gregory, 2021.

Photograph: Joseph Coscia Jnr.

The Frick Collection in New York City has long been a home for some of the finest collections of decorative art in the world. The museum has been able to enrich its collections over the years through the generosity of various collectors who have donated important objects. 

The Gregory Gift, a bequest from the collection of Alexis Gregory, has been one of the most significant contributions to the museum in recent times. This remarkable bequest, which was received in 2020, comprises twenty-eight objects that are rich in historical and cultural significance.

The Gregory Gift is a collection of exquisite objects that are crafted in a variety of media and forms. These luxury objects suggest a fine collector's cabinet or Kunstkammer. 

Among the items are fifteen Limoges enamels, two clocks, two ewers, a gilt-bronze sculpture, a serpentine tankard, an ivory hilt, a rhinoceros horn cup, a pomander, and two stunning pastels by Rosalba Carriera. The collection is beautifully curated and is exhibited together for the first time at the Frick Madison until July 9, 2023.

Ian Wardropper, the Director of the Frick, expressed his gratitude for the bequest and announced that the exhibition would be mounted in memory of Alexis Gregory. Wardropper stated that "Alexis Gregory had one of the finest collections of Renaissance and Rococo decorative arts in this country. His deep affection for the Frick led to his bequest of a selection of a superb group of objects, and we are gratified to mount this exhibition in his memory."

The Gregory Gift is a collection of exquisite objects that are crafted in a variety of media and forms.

Attributed to Domenico Cucci and workshop
Manufacture des Gobelins, Paris, 1662~1664.
Figure of Louis XIV. Gilt bronze on a
porphyry base. 30.6 x 30.3 x 17.9cm
The Frick Collection, Gift of
Alexis Gregrory, 2021.
Photograph: Joseph Coscia Jnr

Alexis Gregory was a man who had an abiding passion for the arts. His career in book publishing led him to establish the celebrated Vendome Press, which published significant volumes on French culture and art. 

Gregory's contributions to and engagement in the arts included serving on art committees at several cultural institutions in the United States. 

He served on the visiting committees of European Paintings and European Sculpture and Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His history with the Frick began with frequent visits to the museum as a youth. 

On one occasion, Gregory left the boarding school he was attending with a classmate to visit the museum and managed to convince his friend that he lived in its mansion, as everyone they encountered on staff seemed to know him extremely well.

Gregory's interest in collecting art began early in life. At the age of eighteen, he purchased his first Renaissance bronze, which marked the starting point of his collection. Gregory collected widely, from paintings and works on paper to bronzes and sculptures. 

In the 1980s, his deep interest in European decorative arts prompted him to exchange one of the Impressionist paintings he had inherited from his parents for an assortment of bronzes, sculptures, and Limoges enamels, as well as a watercolor. He later expanded his collection with additional sculptures, Italian bronzes, and Limoges enamels, continuing throughout his life to acquire objects from the United States and Europe.

At the age of eighteen, Gregory purchased his first Renaissance bronze, which marked the starting point of his collection.

Pierre Reymond, French 1512 ~ after 1584
One of a Pair of Covered Tazzas, 16th Century
Limoges, enamel on copper, parcel gilt
21.6 x 18.4cm. The Frick Collection
Gift of Alexis Gregory, 2021.
Photograph: Joseph Coscia Jnr

Gregory's collection echoes, in many ways, the Kunstkammers created by princes during the Renaissance, where they would not only display enamels, faience, carved ivories, automatons and clocks, and precious and mounted metalwork, but also show exotic natural specimens. 

His bequest to The Frick Collection, therefore, opens new areas of research and lays the groundwork for exciting projects. 

From research into the context of their creation to technical analyses expanding our knowledge of how these objects were produced, the exhibition at Frick Madison celebrates Alexis Gregory's generous gift and The Frick Collection's commitment to the display of European decorative arts.

The Gregory Gift exhibition is on show at the Frick Madison until July 6th, 2023, 945 Madison Avenue at 75th Street, New York, NY 10021. Museum hours: Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; closed Monday through Wednesday.