Frame Properties and Decorations
Our antique picture frame replicas are individually handmade using traditional construction and decoration techniques. Materials and decorative details may vary depending on the specific model.
Frame Profile Construction
Our picture frame profiles are primarily made from ayous, a lightweight African wood particularly suitable for shaping moldings. Its workability allows us to create a wide variety of profiles, often shaped entirely by hand using traditional woodworking techniques.
Each profile can be customized to accommodate the specific requirements of a painting. The rabbet width can be adjusted to cover more or less of the artwork’s edges, while the standard rabbet depth can be increased to accommodate paintings thicker than usual.
These adjustments allow us to produce custom-made frames that combine traditional craftsmanship with the practical requirements of each artwork.
Handmade Frame Molding cod. 016
Watch how the wooden profile of Cod. 016 is shaped entirely by hand, creating its distinctive molding without ornamental carving.
Decorations
Many of our decorative elements are handmade using wood pulp, a wood-based material that allows us to reproduce complex ornamental forms while keeping the frame lighter and more affordable than a version entirely carved from solid wood.
The wood pulp is first pressed into silicone molds to create the decorative elements. Once removed from the molds, the ornaments are left to dry before being mounted onto the frame. They are then individually carved and refined by hand according to the design of each frame.
Decoration Mounting Cod. 04
Watch how the wood pulp decorations of Cod. 04 are individually mounted onto the frame by hand.
Hand-Carving and Finishing
Once dry, wood pulp can be carved with chisels much like solid wood, allowing our craftsmen to create sharp edges and precise details typical of antique picture frames.
Its lighter weight makes the frame easier to handle, ship, and install, while the hardened material provides excellent durability. Its porous surface also allows the successive layers of gesso to adhere effectively, creating a strong, stable foundation for gilding.
Wood Pulp Carving Cod. 04
Watch how our craftsmen carve and refine the wood pulp decorations of Cod. 04 by hand, creating sharp edges and intricate ornamental details.
Wood Pulp Carving Cod. 010
Hand-carving and refining the elaborate corner leaf decorations of Cod. 010, a richly ornamented Baroque picture frame.
Wood Pulp Carving Cod. 038
Hand-carving and refining the elaborate leaf decorations at the corners of Cod. 038, a Spanish Baroque frame.
Solid Wood Carving
Some models can also be ordered with the decorative elements entirely carved from solid wood. For this type of work, we generally use Swiss pine, a softwood traditionally suitable for carving. Please contact us for a custom quote if you are interested in this option.
The videos below show the traditional solid wood carving techniques used to create some of our most elaborate picture frame reproductions. Every ornament is carved entirely by hand, using the same types of chisels, natural materials, and time-consuming techniques employed by master carvers centuries ago. This craftsmanship preserves a tradition of frame making that dates back more than 500 years.
Traditional Wood Carving Cod. 015
Watch how our craftsmen carve the ornamental details of Cod. 015 entirely by hand, using traditional chisels and solid wood.
Modified Frame Carving Cod. 02
Watch how our craftsmen carve a modified version of Cod. 02 by hand, featuring customized proportions and ornamental details carved from solid wood.
Traditional Wood Carving Cod. 032
Traditional hand-carving of Cod. 032, reproducing the distinctive ornamental details of an 18th-century Bolognese Barocchetto frame.
Traditional Wood Carving Cod. 019
Watch how our craftsmen hand-carve the ornamental details of Cod. 019, a Renaissance-style picture frame, using traditional chisels.
Tuscan Baroque Wood Carving
Traditional hand-carving of a 17th-century Tuscan Baroque frame, reproduced from a photograph as a one-of-a-kind commission and therefore not included in our standard catalog.
Traditional Gesso Preparation
We use a traditional water-based gesso to prepare the surfaces of our picture frames for gilding. Five coats of gesso are applied to both the wooden frame and its wood pulp decorations, creating a uniform foundation for the subsequent finishing process.
Once the gesso has dried, the entire surface is carefully sanded by hand to achieve a smooth, even finish while preserving the details of the decorations.
A coat of shellac is then applied to seal the porous gesso surface, creating a protective barrier before gilding. This prevents moisture from affecting the gesso during water gilding and keeps the adhesive size from being absorbed into the surface during mordant gilding.
Frame Gesso Preparation Cod. 016
Watch how five coats of water-based gesso are applied to Cod. 016, preparing the wooden frame and its decorative elements for the subsequent stages of gilding.
Traditional Gilding Techniques
We use two traditional gilding techniques to reproduce the finishes of antique picture frames: water gilding and mordant gilding.
These techniques differ in the preparation of the surface and the method used to attach the metal leaf. The choice of technique also depends on the material being applied and the desired finish.
Water Gilding
Water gilding is a traditional technique used to apply genuine gold leaf to a carefully prepared surface.
The frame is first coated with several layers of gesso made with rabbit-skin glue. Once the surface has been carefully smoothed, layers of bole, a fine clay mixed with rabbit-skin glue, are applied.
The bole is then moistened to allow the gold leaf to adhere. After drying, selected areas can be burnished with an agate stone, producing a brilliant, reflective finish.
This technique is particularly suitable for reproducing the polished gold surfaces and contrasting finishes characteristic of many historical picture frames.
In our workshop, water gilding is reserved for genuine gold leaf. Its complex preparation would not be economically justified for Dutch metal leaf, which can achieve excellent results using mordant gilding.
Traditional Water Gilding
Watch how genuine gold leaf is applied by hand using the traditional water gilding technique, preparing the surface for subsequent burnishing.
Mordant Gilding
Mordant gilding is a traditional technique in which metal leaf is attached to the prepared surface using a special adhesive known as mordant or size.
The frame is first coated with gesso and sealed with shellac. A thin layer of mordant is then applied, creating an adhesive surface onto which the metal leaf is carefully laid.
This technique can be used with both genuine gold leaf and Dutch metal leaf, although it does not allow the traditional burnishing associated with water gilding.
When properly executed, mordant gilding with Dutch metal leaf can produce an exceptionally bright, reflective finish, closely resembling the appearance of burnished gold. Achieving this result requires careful surface preparation and skilled application, both essential aspects of our craftsmanship.
Traditional Mordant Gilding with Dutch Metal Leaf
Watch how Dutch metal leaf is carefully applied by hand using the traditional mordant gilding technique, producing a bright, reflective finish.
Traditional Mordant Gilding with 22-Karat Gold Leaf
Watch how genuine 22-karat gold leaf is applied by hand using the same traditional mordant gilding technique, creating a refined gold finish.
Gold Leaf and Dutch Metal Leaf
The appearance, durability, and cost of a gilded picture frame depend not only on the gilding technique but also on the type of metal leaf used.
We offer two different materials: genuine 22-karat gold leaf and Dutch metal leaf, a traditional imitation gold made from a copper-zinc alloy.
Genuine 22-Karat Gold Leaf
Genuine 22-karat gold leaf produces a rich, warm finish with excellent resistance to oxidation.
For frames gilded with genuine gold leaf, we generally prefer a combination of water gilding and mordant gilding.
Water gilding is used on areas intended to be burnished to a brilliant shine, while mordant gilding is reserved for surfaces requiring a matte finish.
This combination allows us to reproduce the characteristic contrasts between polished and matte gold found on many historical picture frames, using the most appropriate technique for each surface.
Gilding with genuine 22-karat gold leaf is available upon request. Please contact us for a custom quotation.
Dutch Metal Leaf
Dutch metal leaf, also known as imitation gold leaf, is made from a copper-zinc alloy. It offers an appearance similar to genuine gold at a more affordable cost.
In our workshop, Dutch metal leaf is applied using the traditional mordant gilding technique, which allows us to achieve a highly reflective decorative finish.
Unlike genuine gold, Dutch metal leaf is susceptible to oxidation and therefore requires appropriate protective finishing.
Dutch metal leaf, applied using mordant gilding, is the standard finish included in the prices displayed in our online catalog.
Punchwork Decorations
Punchwork is a traditional decorative technique used on antique picture frames. Small punches are applied by hand to the prepared gesso surface, creating patterns of tiny indentations that form floral motifs, scrolling vines, leaves, and other ornamental designs.
This technique adds texture and depth to the gilded surface, enriching the frame with intricate details.
Floral Punchwork Cod. 08
Watch how traditional punchwork creates a scrolling vine pattern with floral details on our cod. 08
Geometric Punchwork Cod. 033
Watch how traditional punchwork creates a repeating pattern of circles, alternating daisy motifs with finely punched surfaces, on our cod. 033
Traditional Hand Lacquering
Hand lacquering is a traditional finishing technique used to enhance the beauty of antique picture frames. The lacquer is carefully applied by brush, following methods used by craftsmen for centuries.
Lacquered surfaces create an elegant contrast with gilded decorations, highlighting their ornamental details. Strong colors are particularly effective, especially black, which was widely used in historical frames and is featured in many of our reproductions.
The lacquer can be customized in different colors to complement the style of each frame.
Black Lacquering Cod. 118
Watch how our artisan applies black lacquer by hand to our Empire-style picture frame, Cod. 118, creating an elegant contrast with its gilded details.
Black Lacquering Cod. 012
Traditional black lacquer applied by hand to Cod. 012, a Roman Salvator Rosa frame, highlighting the contrast with its gilded details.