HISTORY OF THE FRAME

HISTORY of the FRAME

Despite the fact that frames have been around as long as ancient painting, there is little to be found on the history of the frame compared to the enormous amount of information referencing the works they surround and protect. Here is a snapshot of what we know chronologically set against the backdrop of the 13 periods that have had a major impact on framing uses and design.

ANCIENT EGYPT

3050BC-900BC

The history of frames is as old as that of painting. Framing techniques and materials used today are similar to those which were used in ancient Egypt. “Framing borders” were used in paintings on pottery and wall paintings as a way to divide scenes and as ornamentation. One of the earliest physical frames dates back to the second century AD. The portrait and the wooden frame surrounding it were found in an Egyptian tomb and was almost perfectly preserved.

CLASSICAL

850BC-476AD

At this time, the Greeks and Romans were painting frescoes directly onto walls and creating tile mosaics reflecting daily life. Intricately designed borders divided each scene in the same way as the Ancient Egyptians. The Chinese and Japanese artistic approach was unique in that they painted their works onto scrolls without frames and onto screens like the ones used to divide rooms.

GOTHIC

1100-1450

The advent of early organized religious beliefs are where we see the introduction of framing artistic works making these ecclesiastical settings the first real picture frames. Early Christian art adapted the Egyptian and Greek "framing borders" by applying them to the carved edgings of ivory book covers and diptychs to altarpieces. These altarpieces were one-piece panels of wood where the area to be painted was carved out, leaving a raised framing border around the outside edge. The entire panel was then gessoed and gilded leaving the flat panel to be painted as the last thing to be done. These early elaborate altarpiece frames were found primarily in places of worship and the use of gold and gems suggested the glories of Heaven. These frames gradually took on the look of the medieval cathedrals of the time.

As artists came to realize the costly, time-consuming ways that these early frames were produced, they found faster, cheaper ways to make them. Thus, a new style was constructed that consisted of mitered moulding strips attatched to a flat wooden panel. This created a wider availabilty and use of frames for artwork yet they were still considered a luxury as only the wealthy could afford it.

RENAISSANCE

1400-1600

Early Renaissance saw the rise of art patrons extending beyond the church. This brought about the common practice by the wealthy to commission private works of art with frames which created the advent of more portable frames, or "court frames." This was done by the wealthy for the purpose of status and propaganda and the frames indicated power and wealth which was reflected by the magnifiecent workmanship and symbolic motifs. Not long after, the art trade came to the forefront of every day life allowing secular frames to follow, produced in all degrees of cost and elaboration. Unlike the earlier frames, these were designed and crafted by furniture builders instead of artists, sculptors or architects. This resulted in a combination of artistry and functionality.