The West Room is the personal study of Pierpont Morgan. Like many members of his social class, he collected art for himself and on behalf of the museums he supported. When his collection of rare books and manuscripts grew beyond the space available to store it, he commissioned this library containing a spacious and richly appointed study. In this private space far uptown from his Wall Street office and adjacent to his home he could meet with business colleagues, art dealers, and museum directors. During the last years of his life, he strove to build his collection working with his librarian, Belle da Costa Greene (1879–1950), who would later become the first Director of the Morgan. This room, with its display of mostly Renaissance works of art, reflects the Italianate aesthetic of the building, and Morgan’s own fondness for beautifully crafted objects.