Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-10-03
ON plcTuRE.rRAMINc.
Suggestions Ms to the best Way to Frame
Pictures Hastily.

A very large per cent of the pictures
used to decorate our walls are ruined
by the framing. Why this should be
so. what particular fault has rendered
this or that picture SO disappointing.
requires power of analysis aud nice
discrimination few of us have time or
/ ability to exert. The decorator fire.
] quently knows no more of the proprie-
ties in the case than the carpenter who
saws out and fits the moulding, and is
firmly persuaded that the most expen-
sive is necessarily the handsomest
frame. AT an army post, with its
meagre resources. one does not expect
to find everything CONNIE IL tdut, but a
few months ago parlor was furnished
by bride on the frontier that in many
respects might serve as model for
more ambitious surroundings. The
pictures. especially, attracted attention
as something very superior, but a
closer inspection showed that, though
carefully chosen. much of the beauty
was due to the appropriateness OF the
settings. The etchings were enclosed
by mat. three to live inches in width,
beyond which was strip of oak about
an inca wide, not vanished, but pol
ished. If the etching and mat made
picture, say foot and half long, the
frame was two inches wide, with
very narrow gilt strip next the mat.
A picture, blue in tone, had darker
blue mat. and a very narrow white
frame with a bit of gilt beading. A
fruit piece with black background was
very handsome without q mat, but
with dark, oid-oak frame, fat, and
fully four inches in width. A black
and gilt beading ornamented the outer
edge. Small water-colors were framed
in the same manner as the etchings,
and were equally effective; while two
photographs. larger than cabinet size.
was simply framed in two-inch board
covered with deep crimson velvet.
ALI this sounds commonplace enough,
yet one has but to compare two copies
of an etching. engraving or photo
graph, framed, the one as Indicated
above with broad white margin and
simple strip of wood moulding, and
the other with the old, forid, gold-leaf
square of plaster and wood. rising like
wall from the edge of the picture, to
be convinced that half the picture are
spoiled by the mode of framing. Until
within very few years. no attempt
was made to vary the stock patterns,
but with the renaissance of art in all
departments feeling has grown up
that the frame is a subject not un-
worthy the artist himself. Indeed, the
frame is sometimes made to give n re-
Election of the subject of the picture.
And there is danger that this very
reaching after artistic effects may
over-shadow the picture itself. In the
same way the 'remarque" which is
so much priced on the margin of an
etching, is rapidly bringing itself into
undue prominence, and dividing atten-
ton that should be conferred on the
main picture.
The reasons for frame arc three
fold: First. to strengthen the founda-
tion, whatever it may be; second, to
cold the glass. if there be one; and
third, to border the picture so as to eli.
vide it from surrounding objects-to
confine the gaze, rs it were. With this
in view it is evident that the frame
must be so quiet in aspect us not to con-
tend for distracting notice, much less
for precedence.
1t seems to be universally conceded
-
for oil paintings, but experience teaches
that even to this rule there are excep.
tons. If pictures of modest coloring
and low in tone be surrounded by one
of these gittering frames, half its value
will be lost. Attention has often been
called TO the Madonna di San Sisto ut
Dresden. which is mounted in IA dark
velvet frame. while the Madonna dell
Sedia at Florence. BY the same artist,
is surrounded by an deliberately carved
and gilded frame. The result is that
the comparatively cold aud heavy pic
ture at Dresden seems to have the rich
and luminous coloring only present in
the one at Florence, while the latter is
dimmed by the glitter of its surround
ings.
In downtown gallery two large
paintings by Mile. Dyiekouska. which
are said to have received the approval
of the Paris Salon, are simply enclosed
in dark old wood frames. harmonizing
in tone with the background, aud yet
those pictures stood out with dis
tinctness unequaled by any others in
the room. 1t may be they would have
been as noticeable. or more so. under
other circumstances-it cannot be tie
MED that gold always seems to enrich
whatever it touches. and that the huge
old-fashioncd. profusely frames
around some Masters" seem so appro-
pirate rs to be inseparable from the
picture; but, for us moderns, 1t Is wise
to be careful that the picture does not
seem an excuse for the frame, instead
of the frame being designed for the
\ picture.
Gilt frames are plainly out Of place
on engravings and photographs. Sill
yer, on the contrary, goes detestably
with coloring. and the colorcd frames
that profess to carry out the scheme OF
coloring in the picture have tendency
to set ones teeth on edge. The same
may he said of so-called golden mats. J"
which rob any picture of its brightness
and look like what they are-gilt paste
board. Good Housekeeping.
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