Tabernacle Frame
Unknown Artist
style 16th century, made ca. 1920
Medium
Poplar and walnut
Dimensions
Overall: 14 3/16 × 13 7/16 in. (36 × 34.1 cm) Sight: 7 1/2 × 6 3/16 in. (19.1 × 15.7 cm) Rabbet: 7 13/16 × 6 7/16 in. (19.9 × 16.3 cm)
Classification
Frames
Culture
Italian, Tuscan
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1636
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Tabernacle Frame* from, Italy, evokes the devotional art of 16th-century Renaissance homes. Crafted in poplar and walnut around 1920 in a faithful 16th-century style it measures just 14 3/16 × 13 7/16 inches overall, with a sight opening of 7 1/2 × 6 3/16 inches—perfect enclosing small religious panels like Madonnas or saints. These frames, often called "tabern," mimicked miniature altarpieces, allowing families to create personal shrines walls for daily prayer. Tuscan frame-makers excelled in carved woodwork, using contrasting woods for visual depth and applying gilding or pa...