Canaletto-style frame (pair with 1975.1.2207)
Unknown Artist
mid-18th century
Medium
Poplar
Dimensions
Overall: 29 1/2 × 41 in. (75 × 104.2 cm) Sight: 23 13/16 × 35 1/4 in. (60.5 × 89.5 cm) Rabbet: 24 3/16 × 36 3/8 in. (61.5 × 92.4 cm)
Classification
Frames
Culture
Italian, Veneto
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.2206
Art Historical Context
This elegant pair of Canaletto-style frames, crafted in the mid-18th century poplar wood in Italy's Veneto region, exemplifies ornate framing traditions of Venice during the Rococo era. Measuring approximately 29½ × 41 inches overall, these frames feature precise dimensions for the sight and rabbet areas, designed to perfectly encase paintings with a sense of architectural grandeur. Poplar, a lightweight yet sturdy hardwood common in Venetian workshops, allowed skilled artisans to carve intricate details while keeping the frames manageable for transport and display. Named after the famed Vene...