Swept frame
Unknown Artist
1755–60
Medium
Oak lower moldings and feather keys; lime upper moldings
Dimensions
Overall: 44 1/8 × 52 9/16 in. (112 × 133.5 cm) Sight: 28 3/8 × 37 5/8 in. (72.1 × 95.5 cm) Rabbet: 29 1/2 × 38 11/16 in. (75 × 98.3 cm)
Classification
Frames
Culture
French
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.2354
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of mid-18th-century France this exquisite *Swept frame*, crafted between 1755 and 1760. Exemplifying the flowing, asymmetrical curves characteristic of the Rococo style, this frame was designed to enhance portrait or landscape paintings, its "swept" profile a dynamic sense of movement. Measuring an impressive 44 1/8 × 52 9/16 inches overall, it features a sight opening of 28 3/8 × 37 5/8 inches, perfectly suited for grand salon displays in aristocratic homes. The frame's construction highlights masterful French woodworking techniques: sturdy oak forms the lower mol...