Swept frame
Unknown Artist
ca. 1740–45
Medium
Oak lower moldings and feather keys; lime upper moldings. Carved, gilt; orange-brown bole.
Dimensions
Overall: 45 1/4 × 38 in. (115 × 96.5 cm) Sight: 33 1/8 × 26 15/16 in. (84.2 × 68.5 cm) Rabbet: 34 7/8 × 28 1/2 in. (88.6 × 72.4 cm)
Classification
Frames
Culture
French
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.2538
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of 18th-century decorative arts with this exquisite *Swept frame*, crafted around 1740–45. Housed in the Robert Lehman Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, frame exemplifies the lavish framing traditions of the Louis XV era, when picture frames were not mere supports but integral artworks designed to paintings. Measuring 45 × 38 inches overall, its sweeping, curved profile—known asswept"—creates dynamic movement, harmonizing with the flowing motifs of Rococo interiors. Masterfully constructed from oak for the sturdy lower moldings and feather keys, and lig...