Frames in Focus: Sansovino Frames

Fascinating exhibition at the National Gallery looking at a particular type of 16th century picture frame.

It seemed odd at first to walk into a gallery mainly of frames with only a couple having pictures in them. However it was almost like an art installation in its own right with the frames forming a lovely pattern against the darkly painted walls.

The type of frame takes its name from the architect Jacapo Sansovino however there seems no connection between the frames and him other than their style. They are known for overlapping and broken scroll designs, features from classical architecture, fruit, masques and cherubs. The earlier ones tend to be more architectural and the later ones more florid. The notes pointed out that a frame creates a stage setting for a picture and also talked about the incongruity of having pictures on the virgin and child in frames with bare breasted women on!

I loved some with great swags of flowers and fruit with a green man type face at the bottom. It was hard to imagine a picture in this and yet when you looked at one hung with a picture your eye still looked and read the picture not the frame! However the whole thing left me wondering if there was some Ikea type place that 16th century gentlemen went to buy the frames for their purchases? I wanted to know more about who made then and how they were sold.

Review
Telegraph


 

 

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