The Frick Collection in New York, which recently reopened after a major expansion, does not own a single painting by John Singer Sargent, despite founder Henry Clay Frick's admiration for the artist. Sargent declined Frick's request for a portrait commission late in his career, and after Frick's death, his daughter Helen Clay Frick turned down an opportunity to purchase Sargent's iconic portrait of Lady Agnew of Lochnaw in 1922 because the museum's trustees were undecided about the institution's future. The painting now resides at the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh. However, the Frick will receive a study for Sargent's famous 'Madame X' as part of a promised gift from collectors Elizabeth and Jean-Marie Eveillard.
This article matters because it highlights a notable gap in the collection of one of America's premier museums, illustrating how timing and institutional uncertainty can shape art history. The Frick's lack of a Sargent painting is a curious oversight given the artist's prominence and his connections to Frick's social circle, including his portrait of rival collector Isabella Stewart Gardner. The promised gift of the 'Madame X' study signals a partial remedy, while the story underscores the enduring allure and market significance of Sargent's society portraits.