32 
House & Garden 
PERIOD 
This Spanish carved and 
gilt Baroque frame con¬ 
sists of a combination of 
interrupted curves. Cour¬ 
tesy of Airs. Gerrit Smith 
STYLES IN PICTURE 
FRAMES 
Since Both the Frames and Pictures Expressed the Characteristic Motifs of the Periods 
They Should Be Recognized as an Element in Modern Decoration 
H. D. EBERLEIN and ABBOTT McCLURE 
F rames of pictures, no less than other 
items more generally recognized as furni¬ 
ture and no less than architecture itself, re¬ 
flected unmistakably the prevailing character¬ 
istics of each phase of the great style cycle. 
Schools of painting, also, showed the domi¬ 
nant stylistic influence at work and a certain 
kinship may easil}' be discerned between can¬ 
vases and the contemporary frames fashioned 
to enclose them. 
In no one branch -of decorative activity is 
there a greater latitude of opportunity for 
achieving legitimate and appropriate effects 
than in the matter-of picture frames. And in 
no other field are greater mistakes or more 
incongruous stupidities perpetrated. Frames 
have their natural affinities and their pro¬ 
prieties both with reference to what they them¬ 
selves enclose and with reference 
to what is outside of and alto¬ 
gether separate from them. It is 
only by recognizing the principles 
upon which these affinities are 
based that we shall either master 
the art of using them to enhance 
the effect of pictures, or discern 
how to employ them wise!}' in 
composition with other items of 
kindred or of harmoniously con¬ 
trasting genius. We must recog¬ 
nize also the fact that frames, no 
matter in what period classifica¬ 
tion they belong by style, may 
be obviously unattached and 
movable, like any other piece of 
mobiliary equipment, or may be 
part of the fixed architectural 
setting. In discussing the frame 
characteristics of each decorative 
Carved and gilt 
Renaissance frame 
period it will be necessar}' for the sake of 
clearness to adhere to this twofold classifica¬ 
tion. One might add that in the present age, 
although some admirable examples have been 
executed, we have scarcely made a full enough 
use of the varied possibilities of architectural 
framing. 
The subject of frames appropriate to the 
contents of the pictures enclosed, is too large 
and important to be treated as a subsidiari- 
issue to the present discussion, and requires 
a separate presentation. In this connection, 
however, it is necessar)- to point out that his¬ 
toric usage, through the dominant fashions of 
each succeeding era, has created what might 
be called a body of “period precedent”. This 
is a certain association between types of pic¬ 
tures and the manner of frames that com¬ 
monly w-ent with them. This 
. precedent -of association between 
■'-j-'. ;| subject and manner of framing 
I applies alike to the religious or 
I mythological themes of the Re- 
I naissance, to the heroics of the 
Baroque age, to the pastorals and 
erotics of the Rococo episode, to 
the Classic motifs or the archi¬ 
tectural landscapes of the Neo- 
Classic, and to all other subjects 
chosen for portrayal in the several 
major epochs of decorative prac¬ 
tice. 
Renaissance. (1) The detached 
or movable frames of the Renais¬ 
sance were quite as varied in form 
as were all the other architectural 
and decorative expressions of that 
wondrously exuberant age, and 
likewise quite as colorful. The 
Late ISth Century English 
frame with restrained 
moldings 
In the construction of this over-mantel we have a modern frame, show- This carved walnut frame is 
ing Neo-Classic influence, incorporated in the architecture of the room. characteristic of the Baroque 
William Lawrence Bottomley, architect period 
