by The Frelinghuysen Morris House and Studio in Lenox, MA was an unexpected delight. It was the home of George L. K. Morris and Suzy Frelinghuysen, two abstract artists we had never heard of; yet, the house was well-rated and it looked interesting, so off we went.
George was born in 1905 into a life of luxury; his family made many trips to Europe as a he was growing up, sparking his interest in architecture and the arts. At the age of 20 he decided to become a painter, much to the dismay of his mother, who for years wouldn’t even hang one of his paintings in her house! George attended art schools in France, where he was exposed to Cezanne, Picasso, Matisse, Braque, Leger and many others.
Suzy’s 1911 birth was also into a life of privilege, but her family supported her artistic pursuits, giving her lessons in singing, piano, organ, harp and painting. Her initial passion was music, and in her mid-30s she became an overnight opera star for her performance in the title role of Ariadne auf Naxos. However, a bout of bronchitis just a few years later brought her singing career to an end. Fortunately, her painting career was right there to fill up her time! Her musical background is often reflected in her paintings, such as the one pictured at right.
George and Suzy were married in 1935. George had already designed and built an art studio on his parents’ property in 1931 (the cover photo to this post), and in 1941 they had a home designed that incorporated the studio. The two-story stucco and glass block house was designed to showcase their collection and their own art, painted right onto the walls. The furnishings are all original, as upon her death in 1988 Suzy left the home, contents, and 46-acre estate to a charitable foundation. George had pre-deceased her in a car accident in 1975.
During their lifetimes, George and Suzy struggled to find success as abstract artists in the United States, though now their works hang in many world-class museums, including The Phillips Collection and Smithsonian American Art Museum. The influence of Picasso is evident – yet, we both liked George and Suzy’s art much more than Picasso. The home contains both original works by George and Suzy, but also works from Picasso, Braque, Miró and Matisse – these paintings served as daily inspiration for the artistic couple.
The home was a joy, and the surrounding grounds serene. There was a one-hour film that we also watched. George and Suzy seemed like a really fun couple, in love with each other and in love with life.
Wow, love this post! How wonderful that you are able to see all these things!