Dr. Ian Wardropper, the new Director of The Frick Collection, will present Henry Clay Frick and the Decorative Arts, his first lecture in the Tampa Bay area at the MFA. He is an ideal choice, not only because of his many accomplishments, but also because The Frick was one of MFA Founder Margaret Acheson Stuart’s favorite museums. The design of the Museum galleries in the original building was inspired by The Frick.

In the New York Times article announcing his appointment, Dr. Wardropper described the experience at The Frick this way: “You walk in and see the collection from start to finish and you come away with a sense of the whole. It encourages you to look closely and deeply at a work of art.” Mrs. Stuart saw this as the standard to which her new museum should aspire.

Dr. Wardropper previously held a number of high-level positions at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. His most recent was the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Chair of the Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts. During his decade at The Metropolitan, he directed major reinstallations of the collection and oversaw a wealth of exhibitions and publications. The renovation of the Wrightsman Galleries to better showcase the collection is a lasting achievement.

These lectures are free with Museum admission for the general public.
Tickets on sale the day of the event

Collectors Circle lectures are sponsored by Northern Trust