Cauliculi frame
Unknown Artist
early 18th century(?)
Medium
Poplar
Dimensions
Overall: 20 11/16 × 25 3/8 in. (52.5 × 64.5 cm) Sight: 7 1/2 × 12 3/8 in. (19 × 31.5 cm) Rabbet: 8 3/16 × 12 13/16 in. (20.8 × 32.6 cm)
Classification
Frames
Culture
Italian, Bologna
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.2202
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, *Cauliculi frame* exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of early 18th-century Bologna Italy. Carved from poplar wood—a lightweight, easily workable species favored by Italian frame makers—the frame measures 20 11/16 × 25 3/8 inches overall, with a sight opening of 7 1/2 × 12 3/8 inches designed to elegantly encase a painting. The term "cauliculi" refers to its distinctive ornamental motifs: delicate, leafy tendrils inspired by classical acanthus leaves, often seen in Baroque architecture and decorative arts. In Bolog...