Discoveries in Photoarchive

January 16, 2019

Image Grid List View
Book cover of "Hilma af Klint: A Pioneer of Abstraction," featuring a colorful abstract painting
Hilma af Klint: Beyond "Beyond the Visible"
The Frick Art Reference Library contains materials beyond the scope of the Frick’s permanent collection, including extensive holdings on modernism. In this post, Interlibrary Loan Assistant Cori Edmonds-Hutchinson, inspired by the documentary Beyond the Visible: Hilma af Klint, explores the library’s titles on the pioneering and enigmatic Swedish artist.
Four interns around a screen reading "Strengths in American Art at the Frick Art Reference Library"
Summer Intern Project: American Art at the Library
Discover the joint project of the Frick Art Reference Library’s summer 2023 interns. In anticipation of the library becoming the repository for the Archives of American Art’s extensive microfilm collection, the interns examined the existing presence of materials on American art in the library’s collections. In this post, they each present a fascinating aspect of their findings.
A restored half-length painting of the Virgin Mary wearing a veil holding the Baby Jesus.
A Byzantine Madonna in Italy

The third and final entry in a series of three blog posts focusing on conservation "interventions" as recorded in the holdings of the Frick Art Reference Library Photoarchive is this mysterious devotional image in the church of San Martino in Velletri, Italy.

Stack of six books on Asian and Pacific Islander American art history, against a gray background
Reading List: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2021
In recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this May, browse through a list of recommended reading from the Frick Art Reference Library. Consult the physical books in our reading room at Frick Madison or peruse the free e-books online, all of which highlight artistic contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans.
A woman with short brown hair smiling in front of shelves filled with books
Reading List: Staff Picks by Gabriella Lacza
In our second installment of Staff Picks, Gabriella Lacza, Imaging Assistant, selects eight of her favorite items from the Frick Art Reference Library’s collections. Get to know Gabriella and her recommended reading list—featuring books on Surrealism, stains, sculpture, and more.
Half-length portrait of a woman wearing an embroidered dress,standing next to a bouquet of flowers.
The Lost Bride

Lost or destroyed paintings are perhaps the most painful reminder of the importance of photoarchives and similar repositories of images and accompanying metadata. An unfortunate example is this portrait of a young bride.

Marble statue of King Louis XII of France in military garb with his right hand raised
Ars Longa: Capturing a Revolutionary Restoration
An image held in the Frick’s Photoarchive shows a statue of King Louis XII of France standing in regal bearing. At the Louvre today, you’ll find the sculpture displayed in three separate pieces. In this post, learn about the moment captured in the Photoarchive and its place in the object’s turbulent physical history.
Book stack with one cover turned out with a colorful artwork of figures and a horse in a landscape
Reading List: Arab American Heritage Month
Happy Arab American Heritage Month! Celebrate with a recommended reading list from the Frick Art Reference Library honoring the work and research of a variety of Arab American artists and scholars.
Three-quarter-length portrait of a man against a landscape, pointing to three pyramids.
A Cosgrave as a Copley
Horizontal stack of eight Halloween-themed books with spines showing
Reading List: Halloween and the Supernatural
Celebrate Halloween with a list of recommended reads from the Frick Art Reference Library! Available for consultation by appointment in the library’s reading room, these books explore scholarship on spooky themes associated with the holiday, from gothic horror to Surrealism, witches, and the supernatural.