Reading the Art World: Ian Wardropper
Photograph by Richard Renaldi
Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Listen to our latest podcast episode featuring Ian Wardropper, author and former director of The Frick Collection and author of The Fricks Collect: An American Family and the Evolution of Taste in the Gilded Age, published by The Frick Collection in association with Rizzoli Electa.
Wardropper traces the remarkable journey of Henry Clay Frick, who evolved from a hard-edged Pittsburgh industrialist into one of America’s most discerning collectors. He describes how Frick spent two decades developing his eye—beginning with contemporary American paintings before advancing to the rarefied world of Old Master acquisitions at the highest level of the market.
Our conversation delves into Frick’s distinctive collecting philosophy: a relentless emphasis on quality over quantity and a clear vision for creating refined settings in which masterworks of painting and decorative arts could coexist. For collectors and anyone curious about the making of great collections, this episode offers rare and valuable insights.
“Frick was much more careful, studious, looked for the great work coming on the market, did his research and was willing to spend quite a lot of money to get something if he really believed that it was by one of the best artists of great quality, good provenance and good condition.
These were the factors of particular interest to him.”
– Ian Wardropper
About the Author
Ian Wardropper served as the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Director of The Frick Collection for 14 years, leading the institution through its most transformative period, including the first comprehensive renovation in nearly 90 years and the innovative Frick Madison project. Previously, he held curatorial positions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as Chairman of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts and at the Art Institute of Chicago for twenty years. A specialist in European decorative arts and sculpture, Wardropper oversaw ambitious exhibitions, a major capital campaign that raised $242 million, and pioneering digital initiatives including the acclaimed "Cocktails with a Curator" series. He holds a Ph.D. in art history from NYU and was named a Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres by the French Minister of Culture.