Renaissance Picture Frame

Reproduction of an Italian Renaissance picture frame carved, gilt, and decorated with black lacquer. This Bolognese early 16th-century Cassetta frame is available for any painting size. Therefore, you can fit it with any painting.

Structural properties of the Renaissance picture frame

This Renaissance frame is made of lime, ayous, and tulipwood combined together. We use lime and ayous for the front side, while we use tulipwood for the backside of the frame. As a result, we obtain the maximum strength with the minimum weight.

You can customize the rabbet width as you prefer. For instance, if you need to cover a bigger part of the painting you can ask to enlarge it. The rabbet depth instead, depends on the thickness of the painting. In most of our models, it is something between 1.5 to 4 cm. Sometimes even deeper due to structural reasons or under request.

Section width cm 12
Rabbet cm 1

Renaissance picture frame decorations

The carving is handmade and it is partially made on wood and partially made of wood pulp to lower the price. See the carving on wood in the following Youtube video: woodcarving by hand 

The flat central surface is lacquered with black paint. Watch a video of the technique: https://youtu.be/eBc9EYy4HHU

Patina (aging process)

“Patina” is an Italian word that refers to how dark and old looks the frame. Apart from dark gold, the age of a frame is determined by a few cracks and tiny broken parts all around the sides. For this purpose, our gilder hits its surfaces with some kinds of stones.

Also, the wormholes are simulated as well, and you will be able to notice them by analyzing deeply the pictures above. The presence of wormholes does not indicate activity within or a recent flight of beetles. Remember that they were faked by us to specifically age this Renaissance picture frame.

Videos related to the aging process 

Explanation of the aging process
Distressing the gold surface
Rub off the gilding
Dark shellac
Applying shellac
Final result

CHEAPER RENAISSANCE PICTURE FRAME REPRODUCTIONS

See below for models of Renaissance frame reproductions with similar structures but at a lower price.