Linda and I drove to Manhattan today to see the Frick art collection. The Frick in question is Henry Clay Frick, partner of Andrew Carnegie. In 1892 Frick hired Pinkertons to break a strike at the Homestead Steel Works near Pittsburgh. The Pinkertons floated down the river on a barge and engaged in a pitched gun battle with the workers, killing four of them. Eventually the governor called in the militia, but the strike and the union were broken. It wasn’t until 1936 that the steelworkers of America were again able to form a strong union.
According to the interpretive film we saw, Frick was so unpopular in Pittsburgh that he had a mansion built in New York on 70th Street across from Central Park, and that house is where the collection is located. Frick used his millions to purchase Rembrandts, Turners, Vermeers, Goyas, Corots, and other famous European artists. He also bought some pretty junky stuff, like a whole pile of Fragonards, which I wouldn’t walk up to the goat pen to see. On the whole, however, the art is well worth a visit. In fact, one Vermeer alone was worth the visit.
When Frick died his will directed that the art be available to the public, and the museum does a good job in presenting it. I’ll allow that Frick did a good deed. Nevertheless, he was a rotten S.O.B. The art doesn’t change that.
If anyone is interested, take some time and visit the Slatington Library and start reading some of the old Slatington Times newspapers. 1866 to the end of publication. They are on CD's. There is some interesting coverage of what was going on in Pittsburg between the steel workers and the Pinkertons.
ReplyDeletePeople today need to read about the events of the past. Then maybe they will start to understand why we have unions, EPA, OSHA and food standards. Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it. Sadly the vast majority of people won't ever bother to do their homework and will suffer the consequences of their lack of interest.
Of course a number of politicians want to take this country back to those days. I could name some but I don't like to even spell their names.