Sansovino frame
Unknown Artist
late 16th to early 17th century
Medium
Pine back frame with poplar upper moldings.
Dimensions
Overall: 19 7/8 × 17 1/2 in. (50.5 × 44.4 cm) Sight: 16 3/8 × 14 1/16 in. (41.6 × 35.7 cm) Rabbet: 17 3/8 × 15 1/16 in. (44.2 × 38.3 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
1975.1.2322
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Sansovino frame exemplifies the opulent framing traditions of late 16th- to early 17th Veneto, Italy. Named after the influential Renaissance sculptor and architect Jacopo Sansov, whose classical designs shaped Venetian taste, these frames were more than mere supports—they were architectural statements in their own right. Crafted during Venice's golden age of art patronage, when grand palazzos and altarpieces demanded equally lavish borders, this piece reflects the region's blend of Renaissance harmony and emerging Baro...