The art of gilding

History of frames in a few words

La Vie de l'Humanité Gustave Moreau

During the Renaissance frames were as hightly regarded as the pictures they contained, and often more expensive. Since then, they have been relegated to a secondary part of the artwork and few people are aware of a frame’s value. They were made from a broad range of materials- wood, bronze, terra-cotta, glass, gold, semi-precious stones and set off many different objects.

Many frames at the time were probably designed for a mirror, the cartouche at the base was intented to hold a painted coat of arms, a reminder of the status , power of the family who owned it. Gilding was considered to set off a picture better than any other decoration.

At the end of the 19th century, after decades of mass production of frames in easily carved compo ( a mixture of chalk and resin), there was a renewed vogue for indivualised frames.

In France, some artists such as Gustave Moreau designed their own frames , which are as integral a part of the whole work in the symbolist movement.