How we Look at Art: Frames and Framing

Fascinating online discussion from London Art Week Digital talking about wat a frame can tell us about a picture and how frames can effect how we look at a work.

Matthew Reeves, of Sam Fogg London, led a lively conversation with Peter Scade, Head of Framing at the National Gallery on frames by showing an interesting array of original pre-1520 examples as well as example of reframing of works from the National Gallery to a frame that is more contemporary to the painting.

I was most interested in the examples which with included architectural details like a Dieric Bouts which had an applied frame of the same tracery as in the picture and those which incorporated the architectural surround of the work in the composition like my favourite Bellini altarpiece from San Giobbe in Venice now in the Academia.

I loved the work shown here by Memling which has a sill effect at the bottom of the frame which is made more illusionistic by the Virgin’s robe being painted over it to pull us into the picture.

 

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