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Ornamentation in Frame Design

In Search of Elementals

rnamentation in Frame Design:

In Search of Elementals

by William B. Adair
Elias Ashmole, 1683, painting by John Riley, frame by Grinling Gibbons, at the Ashmolian Museum, Oxford, England. (Shown courtesy of the University of Oxford.)

This frame was first carved in limewood (also called linden) with ornamentation based on architectonic forms of contemporary wall paneling, but it was not gilded until 47 years later. The woodcarving was first so beautifully rendered in this light colored, tight grained wood, that it was not clogged up with gilding preparations until later when it had turned dark from age. Above the central cartouche containing the family crest is a figure of Mercury, symbolizing the constant activity of the human intellect, supported by the mythological twins Castor and Pollux. The drapery elegantly carved on the sides recalls the sitters own velvet clothing and curly wigged hair enframing Ashmoles piercing look, facing the future.

Photos on cover shown courtesy of William Adair and Gold Leaf Studios.

Ornamentation in Frame Design

Cover Plates from R. Ackermans book, first published in 1819, A Selection of Ornaments for the Use of Sculptors, Painters Carvers and Modellers. In its day, this publication influenced all aspects of interior design, especially picture frames. (Shown courtesy of the International Institute for Frame Study.)

Introduction No matter what our profession, we cannot truly grasp knowledge unless we also add to itotherwise, creativity and intellectual growth will stagnate. This is especially true with regard to the design of picture frames. An understanding of the history of architectural ornamentstheir origins, the context of their use, and the methods used to create themis essential to our knowledge of fine period frames. Frame designers must know the relationship of each ornament to another, which ornaments are appropriate to the various stylistic periods, and how each ornament should be positioned on the frames profile. Framers who work with period frames must also understand how the use of various ornaments has come to define certain stylistic periods, and in the process, learn to recognize well-designed frames. It is also important to recognize how ornament is created: Was it carved into the frame, applied as composition, or embossed into the surface of the profile? Acquiring a strong vocabulary in frame ornamentation builds credibility with customers and industry peers; recognizing a well-designed and historically accurate period frame helps build a better frame selection for your business and bolster greater confidence at the design counter. A familiarity with historical ornament can help you identify period frames, for example, and that knowledge will, in turn, help you to suggest suitable and period-appropriate frames for various artworks.
February 2004

A History of Ornamentation In the past, the embellishment of picture frames of great merit was largely derived from architectural patterns found in classical antiquity. R. Ackermans book, A Selection of Ornaments for the Use of Sculptors, Painters Carvers and Modellers, published in 1819, was the kind of publication that influenced all aspects of interior design, including that of picture frames. However, there are many other sources of inspiration. Many designers of frames are motivated by conventional, pre-established patterns. Standard ornaments, such as the acanthus leaf, anthemion (also called honeysuckle), egg and dart, laurel leaf, lambs tongue, lotus leaf, and others, are all repeated throughout the centuries, in a profusion of perambulations. Such historically proven ornamentation can still fail, however. Most failures are evident when the ornament is out of proportion to the moulding profile. In some instances, the placement of the ornament and repeating patterns is ill-conceivedbased on the whim of the designer rather than sound principles of design. As we look at these frames, a disquieting sense of impropriety becomes evident to ourselves (and even to our customers), although we usually dont understand why. However, in a frame created by a designer who followed established historic examples of design, such as The Golden Mean of ratio, proportion, and balance, the arrangement of seemingly disparate design elements develops into a symbiotic harmony, producing a pleasing result and cohesiveness of design. We are often drawn instinctively to such designs, and greater study can help us understand why. As English architect-designer Owen Jones (1806-1899) declared in his seminal treatise, The Grammar of Ornament, True beauty results from that repose which the mind feels when the eye, the intellect, and the affectations, are satisfied from the absence of any want. (Just as framers often have clients who say, I dont know what Im looking for, but Ill tell you when I see it.) Joness strong conviction was that historical styles should be used for inspiration rather than imitation. Sources of Good Design It is not easy to define what makes a good and enduring design. Learning to recognize it evolves from an examination of historical examples and leads to an analysis of the shape or profile of ornament in relation to its size and placement upon the surface of the moulding. Ornament design should be based on a geometrical construction, and this construction should be appropriately decorateddecoration should never be purposely constructed. In the classic treatise, Ten Books on Architecture, the Roman architect

The top rail of this frame (shown vertically) features a guilloche band and scrolling acanthus leafs surmounted by a shell.

Ornamentation in Frame Design

Marcus Vitruvius Polio (90-20 B.C.E.), known simply as Vitruvius, said it best: Good architectural design is composed of three important qualities: strength, utility, and aesthetic effect. (In his 1624 translation, Sir Henry Wooton (1568-1639) quaintly changed this to Firmness, Commodity, and Delight.) The rule applies to framemaking as much as it does to architecture. Since the decorative arts arise from architecture, it stands to reason that the same standards apply to the design and construction of picture frames. A frame must be fabricated from well-seasoned and stable wood, with corner joints that are appropriate for the width and shape of the moulding. A frame must be fabricated of quality materials so that it will be equal, if not superior, to the quality of the painting; thus, it will show the painting to its best advantage. Lastly, a frame must be aesthetically pleasing in terms of its coloration, texture, and variety of sheens. Color is used to bolster the advancement or recession of forms and to differentiate elements. Vitruvius principle of consistency is also an important concept that applies to framing. For example, he writes: ....temples of the Doric order are erected to Minerva, Mars, and Hercules, on account of whose valour their temples should be of masculine proportions, and without delicate ornament. The character of the Corinthian order seems more appropriate to Venus, Flora, Proserpine, and Nymphs of Fountains; because its slenderness, elegance and richness, and its orna-

mental leaves surmounted by volutes, seem to bear an analogy to their dispositions... Vitruvius virtuoso books remind us that a good framer possesses historical knowledge of frame styles and ornamentation as they are appropriate, respectively, to the styles of painting. Eventually, the designer must know what works and what fails, and be able to articulate the reasons why. Learning the Language of Ornament When it comes to trying to identify various frame styles the amount of overlapping and conflicting information makes the task formidable. Armed with a little practice, experience in making sketches of profile drawings, and a firm understanding of the historically correct ornaments that are applied to themtheir names, origins, and evolutionsone slowly develops an eye for the nuances and subtleties that emerge from the vast labyrinth of design information. Eventually, this design vocabulary of elementals leads the framer to develop sentences, paragraphs, and eventually a novel worthy, at best, of a place of honor in the mythological Hall of Frames on Mount Olympus. (Or at least a new frame design that wont be rejected by your discerning clients.)

From top: acanthus leaf, guilloche, leaf and berry, and shell ornamentation designs.

William B. Adair received his B.F.A. in Studio Art from the University of Maryland in 1972. For the next 10 years he worked for the
Smithsonian Institutions National Portrait Gallery as a museum conservator specializing in the treatment of picture frames. In 1982 he formed his own company, Gold Leaf Studios, for the making of frames and the conservation of gilded antiques. Over the years his clients have included the U.S. Department of State and the National Park Service. He is the founder of the International Institute for Frame Study, a non-profit archive dedicated to collecting and disseminating information on the history of frames. He can be reached via e-mail at bill@goldleafstudios.com. February 2004

BABYLONIAN

Nebuchadnezzer Babylon: Babylonian, c. 2600 B.C.; a wall mural from the court in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzer I, c. 2600 B.C. The ornamentationa double-anthemion friezeis executed on glazed colored bricks.

Arched portal, Babylonian-Assyrian, c. 2000 B.C. from Koyunjik, showing crysanthemum flower in arch and cornice with lotus flower and bud in frieze above arch .

From Koyunjik, an alternating lotus flower and bud with chrysanthemum flower below, c. 2000 B.C.

Babylonian corner: a Babylonian-Assyrian floor ornament, c. 2000 B.C. from Koyunjik, showing crysanthemum flower in border and center-point with radiating buds.

Nimroud frieze, a mural decoration made of burned, glazed stone, showing a stylized palmette with pinecone and closed lotus-bud with chevron decoration, c. 800 B.C.

Winged steer with human head, now in the Louvre in Paris, originally from the palace of Sardanapalus, c. 1000 B.C. From an Assyrian embroidery illustrating a chrysanthemum flower and Pegasus, a winged horse, c. 700 B.C.
Ornamentation in Frame Design

EGYPTIAN

Date leaf on the capital of a column at Philae, with space above neck-band. From the later Egyptian Kingdom, c. 1500 B.C.

Lotus: an alternating closed and open lotus flower and bud, c. 600 B.C., with geometric border design at the top.

Geometric borders: chevrons and stylized leaves for border decorations in a room, c. 600 B.C.

Lotus and tongue: This lotus flower and alternating tongue pattern, c. 600 B.C., is a precursor for the later Greek classical lambs tongue ornamentation.

Palm leaf on the capital of a column in Bersche, dating from the Middle Kingdom, c. 1500 B.C. This is the precursor for much Greek ornamentation, now known as a water leaf.

Arched pediment from the modern kingdom, Thebes, c. 1600 B.C, with stylized vegetal forms.

Lotus and egg: an open lotus flower alternating with egg pattern, c. 600 B.C. A precursor for the egg and dart design seen in classic Greek ornamentation.

Papyrus on a column with closed capital from Amenemhet, near Hawara, Later Kingdom.

Stylized lotus: a frieze of flowers and buds, from Amenophis IV in Tell-el-Amanra, Later Kingdom, c. 660 B.C. An inspiration for the Art-Deco designs of the 1930s.

Aedicula frame taken from a breast-plate of gold with encrusted enamel, bearing the name of Ramses II; Egyptian Middle Kingdom, c. 600 B.C.
February 2004

PERSIAN

Anthemion and lotus: a mosaic from the floor of stairs in the palace of Artaxerxes, c. 600 B.C.; showing stylized lotus leaf and alternating anthemion, surmounted by a geometric pattern.

Artaxerxes border: from a floor from the stairs in the palace of Artaxerxes, c. 600 B.C. A stylized C-scroll surrounded by a chrysanthemum flower border.

Double Anthemion on a Persian wall decoration of glazed terra-cotta, using triangles as a bordering device for the double anthemion frieze.

From Naksche: Bas-reliefs from the graves of Naksche Roustem, c. 500 B.C. This is the tip of a volute that forms a running pattern.

From Persepolis, a column in the hall of Xerxes, c. 500 B.C. Above the double bulls is a stylized lotus with alternating chrysanthemum, surmounted by dentil work and a lion frieze. Tongue and dart from the bas-reliefs at the graves of Naksche Roustem, c. 500 B.C; showing rounded tongue ornament interspersed with darts, surmounted by bead and reel.

From Persepolis: a column in the hall of Xerxes, c. 500 B.C. Above the double bulls is an alternating lotus flower and anthemion, surmounted by dentil work and fluted ribs.

Lion frieze: now in the Louvre, c. 300 B.C. A lion figure is often used as a decorative pattern in Persian ornament.
Ornamentation in Frame Design

Winged lion: a bas-relief at Persepolis, c. 300 B.C. Winged figures are classic ornamentation from Persian iconography.

Winged bull from a bas-relief at Persepolis, c. 300 B.C.

INDIAN

Bhagovati frieze: moulding from the temple of Bhagovati with scrolling leaf and vine, intertwined with animals, c. second century, B.C.

A window from the temple of Mukteswara. Aedicula zoomorphic: a statue of the Various scrolling leaves and flower pattern, c. province from a niche in the temple of second century, B.C. Bhuvaneswar. The image of an elephant assuming human form is a typical image from India.

A Bhuvaneswar frieze showing a griffin with stylized leaf ornamentation, resting on a bead ornament; from a bas-relief from Bharhut, c. second century, B.C.

A cornice from the temple in Parasurnamesvara showing a fern ornamentation, c. second century, B.C.

February 2004

ARABIC / MOORISH

Arabic ornamentation on a decorative detailed frieze from the Alhambra, c. 11th century, A.D.

Moorish corner: interlaced ornaments for a corner design, c. 11th century, A.D.; found in the Alhambra in the Court of the Lions.

Alhambra corner: decorative corner from the Alhambra in Granada, c. 9th century, A.D.

A Moorish frieze, or a running pattern of interlaced ornaments, c. 11th century, A.D.; found in the Alhambra in the Court of the Lions.

Alhambra corner: Decorative corner from the Alhambra in Granada, 9th century, A.D.; a corner ornament with interlocking stylized floral patterns that resemble calligraphy.
Ornamentation in Frame Design

An Arabic decorative frieze from the Alhambra, c. 11th century, A.D. with an alternating anthemion design.

CELTIC

Celtic interlocking design: the chief characteristic of Celtic ornament consists in the absence of foliage or other vegetal ornament. The extreme intricacy and interlocking geometric pattern and ribbonwork is composed of knots and tails in an intertwining endless pattern.

A Celtic Anglo-Saxon corner from a book at the British Museum called The Golden Gospels, produced in the 9th century, A.D. This style of ornament was fully developed before the end of the 7th century, possibly being influenced by Irish missionaries travelling to the Holy Land and obtaining ideas and principles of design.

Celtic roundel corner from The Golden Gospels, 9th century, A.D.

A Celtic corner from The Golden Gospels, 9th century, A.D. Here, interlocking patterns are used as a corner design.

Celtic knot that forms a corner block design from the Book of Kells, c. 800 A.D.

Celtic panel: a frieze pattern from the Book of Kells, c. 800 A.D.

February 2004

GREEK
Ogee from Holicarnassus: a lambs tongue and bead and reel placed on a shaped ogee moulding, c. 350 B.C.

Leaf and dart: an ogee, c. 4th century B.C. This pointed leaf is also typical for frame ornamentation of Neoclassical designs. It is often referred to as a water leaf.

Wave pattern: an example c. 8th century, B.C. Greek wave patterns are seen on many frame designs along the site edge, separating the painting from the rest of the frame.

Calves tongue on a painted ogee from an architectural trim. Calves tongue is a larger version of a lambs tongue.

Lambs Tongue on a painted ogee from an architectural trim; from Theseum in Athens, c. 600 B.C. The smaller lambs tongue is often seen on Neoclassical ornamentation and frames as well. Mural frieze c. 8th century, B.C. This ornament is a stylized wave pattern with interlocking seed pod patterns flanked by chrysanthemum flower.

Egg and dart: an ogee from a mausoleum at Halicarnassus, c. 350 B.C.

Ornamentation in Frame Design

GREEK
Anthemion with bead and reel on an ogee from a mausoleum at Halicarnassus, c. 350 B.C. A Greek vase from a design in Athens in the 6th century B.C. Attic blackcolored vessels often contain ornaments which reflect the architectural details. The ornaments on this design are prototypical of frame designs in the Renaissance. There is dentil work at the base, surmounted by a pattern based on a double-guilloche with an anthemion in the center, most likely derived from patterns of weaving from antquity. Above that is a chrysanthemum, flanked by anthemion, stylized egg-and-dart, and Greek key.

Bead and reel shown on an ancient series of running ornaments that consists of bead and reel; from classic Greek architecture.

Anthemion and acanthus: a frieze of an alternating acanthus and anthemion leaf, c. 3rd century, B.C.

Greek key example from the Isle of Delos, used as a pattern for Greek vases and friezes in architectural ornamentation.

February 2004

ROMAN

Fragment of a frieze in high relief from the Villa Aldobrandini in Rome, c. 1600 A.D.

Anthemion and acanthus from the Villa Medici in Florence, c. 16th century, A.D. Anthemion is on the outer edge on the end, with acanthus in a running pattern in the center.

Figures with acanthus: a griffin and a puti (cherub) are flanked by acanthus leaves, c. 16th century, A.D.

A fragment of an antique frieze found in Tivoli shows a basket of fruit terminated with a mask, flanked by a profile of a lion with a centerpoint of an urn with fruit.

Trophy frieze shown in an 18th century drawing from an antique fragment by Luigi Cantini (1762-1840).

Trophy frieze shown in an 18th century drawing from an antique fragment by Luigi Cantini (1762-1840).

Acanthus with scrolling vine and rosette, punctuated with zoomorphic forms in an exaggerated, overly-developed style; from an architectural fragment, c. first century A.D.

Roman frieze with two puti flanked with acanthus leaves, based on a drawing by a 17th century Italian artist. Interpreted as Romulus and Remus with a wolf-head centerpoint.

Ornamentation in Frame Design

GOTHIC

Gothic panel from a stone gallery in the choir of the cloister church in Blaubeuren.

Gothic rosette: this is example is one of the wooden rosettes from the Rose Chamber in the princes house in the Coburg Castle, c. 11th century, A.D.

Gothic panel from a stone gallery in the choir of the cloister church in Blaubeuren.

Gothic corner showing a stylized palmette. One of the Late Gothic ornaments in flatwood relief in the gallery ballustrade in a house in the Hauptmarkt, Nuremburg.

Gothic corner showing a stylized palmette. Another example of Late Gothic ornament in flatwood relief from the gallery ballustrade in a house in the Haupmarkt, Nuremburg.

Gothic corner showing a stylized palmette. An example of Late Gothic ornament in flatwood relief in the gallery ballustrade in a house in the Hauptmarkt, Nuremburg.

February 2004

RENAISSANCE
Fretwork example: this design is used as a panelling device for sgraffito work in the frieze area of a frame. Most Renaissance ornament is based on designs from classical antiquityexamples were easily found in Italy as sources for inspiration.

Gadroon: The chief characteristic of a gadroon, or knull, is that it is used as a bordering device sandwiched between other ornamentation.

Guilloche: defined as an interlocking pattern with a rosette in the center, flanked by stylized leaves.

Laurel leaf and berry: the laurel leaf, which symbolizes everlasting life, was often used in the Renaissance in frame design.

Stick and ribbon: this is a twisted ribbon with a stick running through the center, often seen in architectural ornamentation in conjunction with other patterns such as lambs tongue.

Ornamentation in Frame Design

NEO-CLASSICAL

A water leaf site edge with an anthemion corner design; the cabled fluting on the panel terminates in a tongue and dart ornamentation.

Acorn and acanthus leaf: an acanthus leaf with alternating sprays of three acorns set into an acanthus bud.

Acanthus and acorn: stylized acanthus with alternating acorn and dart.

A palmette design alternating with lotus husk, terminating in two rosettes.

Acorn and leaf: an undulating spray of oak leaves interspersed with acorns.

Stylized anthemion with alternating rosette.

Grape and leaf: an undulating vine of grape leaves and grapes.

Acanthus and anthemion: acanthus leaf with an alternating anthemion terminating in an acanthus leaf corner.

Thistle: an undulating spray of thistle flowers, buds, and leaves.

February 2004

ART NOUVEAU
Stylized tree panel with large, coin-shaped leaves terminating in a Celticinspired interlocking scroll root system.

Heart-shaped morning glories alternating with morning glory flowers in an interlocking pattern.

Corner ornament: a stylized, interlocking pattern of heart-shaped morning glories.

Stylized oak leaf embellished with seed pods. Muriel Moller drawing with stylized anemone flower and leaf with ribbed background.

A sunflower-like rosette with stylized, interlocking ivy leaf and vine. Muriel Moller carving based on the anemone flower design seen above.

Ornamentation in Frame Design

FRAMES AND PROFILES

Italian Renaissance frame, late 16th century.

Italian Renaissance frame, 16th century.

American Gothic Revivial frame, c. 1850.

American Whistler-style frame, c. 1880-1900.

American Federal style frame with a twisted rope design, c. 1810.

American Impressionist style frame, c. 1900.

February 2004

FRAMES AND PROFILES

Typical French Louis XIII frame (left) and profile.

Typical French Louis XIV frame (left) and profile.

Typical French Regence frame (left) and profile.

Typical French Louis XV frame (left) and profile.

Ornamentation in Frame Design