New-York tribune., 1901-02-06
CHAT ABOUT FRAMES.
RUBAIYAT FRIEZE WHICH WAS THE
HAPPY THOUGHT OF 4 WON
An ARTIST

Year By year ideas find their way into the art
Of picture framing. into all others and in most
cases greatly TO its advantage As rule. every
novelty is carried to excess In the beginning, bul
soon returns 10 its proper place The so-caled
architectural frame is an instance. In the first
place. it was. a happy thought, inspired by the
photographs from the mural paintings in the great
Public Library of Boston. The severe dignity or
the pictures demanded kind of frame different
from any then use. and the simple but
stately shaft and cornice were adopted suitable
Then for time the architectural frame was
used with dire results for all kinds Of subjects
The portrait Of a child a lovely landscape bears
no conceivable relation 70 the stern lines Of such
a frame
That phase soon passed. however. and now the
architectural mode is left TO Its original purpose
The present fancy for fine mechanical repro
ductions Of fine works and the development OF
color sensitfveness have led to an unprecedented
use Of color in frames The sepia tinted CARBON
photographs framed in wood stained 10 a solI'
dull brown, with the grain showing through Inc
carbons which a greenish tone prevails call Tor
autumnal green staining. end the platinum
prints. with their deep shadows of misty lights
find added charm in the stain of black oak
Just a touch of dim gold bronze is used on many
frames of this character in the form Of tiny
beading close to the picture.
Decidedly novel is the of the stained wood
frame for water colors An excellent result was
obtained in the case Of forest interior by fiat
wide frame stained with bronze green, with orna-
mental beading the inner and outer edges
An autumn landscape, with rich brown and faiht
touches Of red. was framed similarly. but with
dark brown stain applied. instead Of the green
Both were framed without mats. In most cases
however the mat is desirable for water color draw
ings. IL tends to improve the perspective OS "A
apparent increase of distance. -.
The wife of a New-Hork artist made capitai OL
misfortune this winter by applying the 80
framing principle TO a book injured in a fire: Inc
volume was one of the fine editions or tnee
Rubaiyat illustrated by NeddeT, in which the teAt
Is ..mortised" into the illustration on the SdIIe
page. the other page being imprinted -
The only injury TO the leaves was a slight water
stain on the edges. although the binding was rune
The artists WIFE being artist herself quchiy
saw how TO the book as decorative edJuLctj
and had the pages put together In nves' 70 3ba
HORIZONTALLY and framed in narrow black OF tle
correct dull finish. The book has thus become OF
value than before, serving a double puIPosss
and and enjoy the poem anu
engravings now TO one who would be hkeIy 10
them in the book. .,.--
The old stereotyped rule that oils. water colorS
and black and whites should not be hung IN thS
same room IS seldom regarded except IN the IeW
supply of pictures The usual rule now is 70 he
that harmonious color effects are preSeIE"tN
and let the rest look out for itself The matter
OF grouping is always important. but Is one TOT
artistic instincts will hang ana rehang. arrange
and rearrauEc until she finds erect that peast5
her. TWO principles however. hold good IN AZ!
cases. The pictures should be hung low and set
day Of tho large picture in the centre with a
smaller at each side on a level Is far IN the
past. Three four small pictures may make
stairs in one place. with a larger one hung over
the lower. or large pictures may be hunS IN the
same fashion, with smaller above and around
BY Of variety. three small pictures may ne
arranged directly above one another. II the space
be narrow. as between or beside windows or doors