Frame
ca. 1680–1700
Medium
Poplar
Dimensions
Overall: 19 1/2 × 22 7/8 in. (49.5 × 58.1 cm) Sight: 13 7/16 × 16 15/16 in. (34.1 × 43 cm) Rabbet: 14 1/2 × 17 15/16 in. (36.9 × 45.5 cm)
Classification
Frames
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.2200
Art Historical Context
This exquisite frame, originating from Rome around 1680–1700, offers a window into the refined craftsmanship of late Baroque Italy. Fashioned from poplar—a lightweight yet durable wood commonly used by Italian artisans for its carving qualities—it was designed to enhance and protect a smaller painting or work on paper. The frame’s modest yet elegant proportions, with an overall size of about 19½ by 22⅞ inches, reflect the period’s attention to harmonious presentation, where the border became an integral part of the viewing experience. In the cultural context of 17th-century Rome, such frames ...