Swept frame
Unknown Artist
ca. 1735–45
Medium
Oak lower moldings; lime upper moldings. Carved, gilt; orange bole.
Dimensions
Overall: 55 1/8 × 46 7/16 in. (140 × 118 cm) Sight: 42 15/16 × 34 1/4 in. (109 × 87 cm) Rabbet: 43 7/8 × 35 3/8 in. (111.4 × 89.8 cm)
Classification
Frames
Culture
French
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.2533
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Robert Lehman Collection, where this exquisite *Swept frame* from ca. 1735–45 transports us to the opulent world of Louis XV-era France. Crafted by an unknown artisan, this frame exemplifies the Rococo style's playful elegance, with its sweeping, S-shaped curves—known as "swept" profiles—that evoke movement and asymmetry. Far from mere decoration, such frames were essential complements to grand portrait paintings, enhancing their drama and drawing the eye with lavish ornamentation. The frame's construction highlights masterful 18th-century woodworki...