Salvator Rosa frame
Unknown Artist
late 17th century
Medium
Poplar
Dimensions
Overall: 37 5/16 × 49 5/16 in. (94.7 × 125.2 cm) Sight: 31 15/16 × 44 1/2 in. (81.2 × 113 cm) Rabbet: 33 1/8 × 45 1/2 in. (84.2 × 115.5 cm)
Classification
Frames
Culture
Italian, Turin
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1891
Art Historical Context
This elegant frame, crafted in late 17th-century Turin, exemplifies the refined woodwork traditions of northern Italy during the Baroque era. Made from poplar, a lightweight yet durable wood favored by Italian artisans, it features precise dimensions that would have perfectly complemented a sizable painting. Its designation as a “Salvator Rosa frame” suggests it follows a style associated with the dramatic landscapes and figure paintings popular at the time, even though the frame maker remains unknown. Frames of this period were far more than simple borders; they served as integral extensions...