national trust picture frame survey

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7’be International Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship ( 198 S), 4, 17 3- 178 National Trust Picture Frame Survey HERMIONE SANDWITH In 1982 the National Trust began to record its collections of picture frames. The programme is being undertaken by Paul Levi, who has advised the Trust since 1979. He is assisted by Tim Newbery, who is trained in drawing profiles of the mouldings and carvings. In starting to record the picture frames in the historic houses in its care, the National Trust will have helped in tracing their history and thereby advancing the appreciation of frames. Also knowledge of frames provides evidence which may help the art historian in dating a picture and in confirming its provenance. It was not until 1937 that Parliament amended the constitution of the National Trust to empower it to accept money, investments and land to be held as endowment for the preservation of great houses. The first house to be taken over under this new scheme was Blickling in 1940. Only in more recent times still, with the general advance of conservation practices, has the Trust followed a more sophisticated line of safeguarding the houses through conservation. This new attitude towards conservation and the need for systematic inspection and conservation of all the contents of the houses started in a small way in 1974. The picture frame survey will complete this initiative. q The National Trust REF%TEIYP.IEVI NUlhr: Painting: Size: In storege _ -- Date: Width: ch Painting _ English IXpth: Suitability: wth. Style photo: E!xce11ent ItaliCUl - cxmltst Gcd Q_- Pcor Spanish Irrpcesible _ -t-m__ L Quality: Exceilel-t cad t!&diun pmr Illpmvable: Yea No state: Gxd .Major Repair Replie_ t&%x Repair Altered: hlarged R&l& Rcxdxed Manuf.?.eture: c!fxi?m -=P& -.--- Regilt Gilt Orig. Gilding_ Stri&_ Brazed Dutch MEtal_____ 1. NT form for recording frames in situ. 026~779/85/02~173~6 903.00 01985 Bu~e~o~h&Co(Pubiishers)Ltd

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Page 1: National Trust picture frame survey

7’be International Journal of Museum Management and Curatorship ( 198 S), 4, 17 3 - 178

National Trust Picture Frame Survey

HERMIONE SANDWITH

In 1982 the National Trust began to record its collections of picture frames. The programme is being undertaken by Paul Levi, who has advised the Trust since 1979. He is assisted by Tim Newbery, who is trained in drawing profiles of the mouldings and carvings. In starting to record the picture frames in the historic houses in its care, the National Trust will have helped in tracing their history and thereby advancing the appreciation of frames. Also knowledge of frames provides evidence which may help the art historian in dating a picture and in confirming its provenance.

It was not until 1937 that Parliament amended the constitution of the National Trust to empower it to accept money, investments and land to be held as endowment for the preservation of great houses. The first house to be taken over under this new scheme was Blickling in 1940. Only in more recent times still, with the general advance of conservation practices, has the Trust followed a more sophisticated line of safeguarding the houses through conservation. This new attitude towards conservation and the need for systematic inspection and conservation of all the contents of the houses started in a small way in 1974. The picture frame survey will complete this initiative.

q The National Trust

REF%TEIYP.IEVI

NUlhr: Painting:

Size: In storege _ -- Date:

Width: ch Painting _ English

IXpth: Suitability: wth. Style

photo: E!xce11ent ItaliCUl - cxmltst Gcd Q_- Pcor Spanish

Irrpcesible _ -t-m__ L

Quality: Exceilel-t

cad

t!&diun

pmr

Illpmvable: Yea No

state: Gxd .Major Repair

Replie_ t&%x Repair

Altered: hlarged R&l&

Rcxdxed

Manuf.?.eture: c!fxi?m -=P& -.--- Regilt

Gilt Orig. Gilding _

Stri&_ Brazed

Dutch MEtal_____

1. NT form for recording frames in situ.

026~779/85/02~173~6 903.00 01985 Bu~e~o~h&Co(Pubiishers)Ltd

Page 2: National Trust picture frame survey

National Trust Picture Frame Survey

2. Fine original Kauffma

ne to

inn.

:oclassical fra [me, prob ably a paintin g bY Ang elica

3. Fre ,nch frame with its original gilding on a painting by Poussin.

Page 3: National Trust picture frame survey

HERMIONE SANDWITH 175

Because there is no recognized way of describing frames so that they can easily be compared, a standard form was designed (Figure l), including the relevant information from the picture catalogue. The selection of frames for photography is determined by quality, rarity or a variant peculiar to the particular house. A drawing is made of the profde of each frame photographed, and wall plans are drawn up of every room showing the position of the pictures. This is not only of interest later as a record of the juxtaposition of the frames, but is of immediate practical use when commissioning the photographer, who can identify the frames to be photographed from the wall plan. An original wall plan, such as that of the cabinet room at Felbrigg, is a rare document of historical importance.

The difficulty in taking photographs of the frames, an essential part of the procedure, lay in surmounting the problem of lighting the frame and avoiding reflections from the varnished surface of the picture: the association of frame and painting is a vital part of the record. However, because of the expense, it is only possible to photograph frames of significance. The number of photographs is normally twenty to thirty in each collection. For permanence, the photographic record is on 10 x 8 inch bromide prints from 5 x 4 inch negatives. One limitation of photographing in black and white is that the colour of the gilding cannot be recorded. An example of this inadequacy was shown up when, as a result of the survey, urgent conservation work was carried out on a fine neoclassical frame, original to a painting by Angelica Kauffmann (Figure 2 shows the state of the frame before conservation). The work revealed that some of the special features of the carved decoration had been picked out in green gold. Another limitation of the photographic record is that the depth of carving cannot be deduced from the photograph, and it is for this reason that every photograph is filed with a profile drawing. Occasionally the back of the frame is important and that too needs to be photographed.

In Figures 3 and 4, the French frame with its original gilding, on a painting by Poussin, is datable to about 1660. The painting is supposed to have been in French possession between 1660 and 1670. It was bought in 1747 by Henry Hoare. Thus it may be the earliest Poussin in its original French frame. The back of the oak frame is hollowed out, which occurs occasionally

4. Back out.

of French .oaki !rame in Figure 3, hollowed

Page 4: National Trust picture frame survey

176 National Trust Picture Frame Survey

5. Detail of a signed and dated water-colour, which appears to be in its original frame.

6. Detail of English frame on a painting by Cigoli of 1605. The goat’s head, shell and oak leaves were added by Chippendale the Younger in 180 1.

in French frames, mostly of high quality, in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The drawing of the profite of the Poussin frame records the hollowed-out back and shows the depth of carving, neither of which could have been deduced from the photograph of the front.

It is important to record where the frame is identified as original to the painting (Figure 5). Picture frames are not well documented and so the record of a contemporary frame made for a dated picture will, when enough information has been gathered, help in plotting the history of paintings and frames. An example of rare documentation is the detail of an English frame for a painting by Cigoh of 1605. The painting hung in the Church of S. Pietro Maggiore in Florence,

Page 5: National Trust picture frame survey

HEFWONE SANDWITH 177

which was demolished in 17 84 and the painting was subsequently acquired by Colt Hoare. The frame must have been made after this date. A bill of 180 1 exists from Chippendale the Younger for carving and gilding additional rich ornaments of a large goat’s head, shell and oak leaves for

a picture frame (Figure 6). A change of taste is apparent in Figure 7, a Venetian frame, probably original to the painting

by Zuccarelli, where in the nineteenth century an English outer addition has increased the width and changed the character of the original framing. The photographic survey includes some frames for their own sake, others for comparative information when the survey is more

complete. One such example is the English pastel frame of about 1760, on a pastel dated 17.57 (Figure 8). The f rame is stylistically similar to contemporary frames for oil-paintings. The survey also takes note of carved giltwood mirrors and baguettes since some mirror frames have obvious stylistic affinities with picture frames. The parallel use of these two types of frame is clear in the Peter the Great Room at Blickling, where picture frames have been used for mirrors. Further research is being undertaken on this room.

One purpose of the National Trust’s picture frame survey is to establish a pro~~rne of priorities for conservation. The National Trust’s aim over the last ten years in setting up a more professional conservation service has been to prevent damage and so to avoid or postpone the need for costly conservation. The first step was to improve the day-to-day care in the houses by raising the standards and understanding of the house staff. Only superficial dusting of picture frames can be carried out with safety by the house staff, and the methods advised have been set out in the ~~tio~#l Tmst’s Mand of ~o~seke~i~g. ’ To compile the manual, the help, advice and contributions of trained and experienced conservators were needed. Wherever practicable these conservators also carry out minor repairs in situ-catching trouble before the need for

7. Venetian frame, probably original to the painting by Zuccarelli, with an English 19th century outer addition.

Page 6: National Trust picture frame survey

178 National Trust Picture Frame Survey

8. English pastel frame 4 on a pastel dated 1757.

3f about 17 60

costly conservation, while at the same time making the house staff aware of the skill and time needed to put right the smallest deterioration or damage.

The same method will be applied to the conservation of picture frames, and while it is too early yet to comment on this, a distinction is made on the record card between possible in situ work by trained conservators and treatment that must be carried out in a workshop. Training conservators is a lengthy process requiring knowledge and the coordination of eye and hand, and in the meanwhile it is always a sound principle of conservation that neglect is preferable to improper treatment. Generally many picture frames have been mistreated in the past, and it is hoped that a greater knowledge of and interest in picture frames will in future protect good frames from misguided treatment.

The recording of picture frames is still in its infancy, but the National Trust’s programme may encourage other owners and institutions to enter this neglected field and share the further knowledge which the work will reveal.

Notes

1. National Trust’s Manual of Housekeeping, compiled by Sandwith and Stainton (Allen Lane, London, 1984), price

L14.95.

AU photographs were taken at Stourhead by Angelo Hornak