Frames: National Gallery Pocket Guide (National Gallery London Publications)

Frames often catch the eye and arouse the curiosity of visitors to galleries and museums, yet labels and catalogues rarely comment on them and handy introductions are hard to come by. In this survey, Nicholas Penny conveys his passionate interest in the history of frames, the design and techniques of frame-making, what frames do for paintings and the part they play in the decoration and often the architecture of an interior. The emphasis is on their changing function and varied purpose as well as the different styles of ornament, materials, finishes and techniques employed. Severe ebony mouldings are included as well as elaborate gilded carvings, second-hand frames as well as original ones, frames to rest on altars but also frames to catch the eye in a dealer's window. The Pocket Guide is illustrated by frames from the National Gallery's magnificent collection, which has some of the finest examples of the frame-maker's craft, reflecting the taste of individual artists and collectors over the centuries.