Meyer Franz. A Handbook of Ornament

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461

FRAMES,

&c.

The

term "Framework"

is a

very

inclusive

one. Every edging,

border, and every rim

of a

plate,

belongs to this

group; but

the

follow-

ing ten plates

will contain only

those features

in which the

Frame

is,

to a certain extent, an end

in itself, and

a definite, characteristic

whole.

Framework

useful

in every

branch of applied

art;

it is

used

in an immense

variety of materials,

and is treated

many different

ways. Plates

261

—270

contain

some important

subdivisions selected

from

the

entire group:

these

are

frames of

Architectural character;

frames (strictly

so-called) for

Pictures,

Mirrors,

Ac, Tablets, lypo-

graphical

borders, and

the borders

of Dials, Plates,

&c.

It is

highly

interesting

to pursue the

rise

of Framework on

architectural

basis,

its gradual

transformation

and its

adaptation

the

products

of art industry.

For this, however,

we refer the

reader

to the

remarks of Semper

(Der Stil,

§§

130 et

seqq.).

will only

make

the

following

observations

from the point of view of style:

Framework,

in the

sense in which

here understood,

only occurs

rarely

and

sporadically

the

older styles,

the

Antique

and the

Middle

Ages.

It was

reserved for the

Kenascence to

cultivate

this

field,

and

to attain

the

highest possible

results.

cannot,

however,

be denied

that

occasionally

was

exaggerated and illogical. A

Frame

must,

above all

things,

have some relation and proportion to

the object

to be framed.

To make

a frame, and

put it where

there is

nothing

framed,

is illogical.

And yet we find

in the late

Renascence,

and in

the

Barocco

and

Ro'coco

periods,

countless

examples

which,

far

their

application

goes, have no other

object

than the

de-

coration

empty

spaces.

462 The Architectural

Frame.

The

Architectural Frame.

(Plate

261

—

262.)

Axchitectural Frames

mean those

which are used in

Architecture,

and those which,

although

applied

other

branches,

such

as furniture, show an

architectural

derivation.

These are: the

framings of doors, windows,

panels,

tablets,

medallions, niches, soffits,

&o.

In Furniture they

are the

border-like

ornaments which

serve

framing

to panel-ornaments;

but which

are also very

often used

merely

as decoration, without having

any

object

frame.

There

are two

classes of

Frames: one which

mon-axial,

with external

or-

naments

at the

top and

bottom, to emphasize

the vertical

attitude;

and one which

is bi-axial,

for application

horizontal surfaces.

In the former

class: the

lower ornament

has

the general shape

of a

suspended

triangle. This

expresses

the idea

of supporting like a

Console;

and is

a free-ending

down-wards. The

other of

these has the general

shape

of the

erect triangle;

making

a cresting

feature, and is the free-ending

upwards.

Frames

of this

class are shown

Plate

261,

figs.

8, 9,

and

11.

the

second class

of Frames:

the space to

enclosed,

be it a

circle,

square, or oblong,

is surrounded by an

ornament

which

is symmetrical

all

sides

without regard

to top

and

bottom.

Frames

this class

are shown

on figs.

—

7 of

Plate

261,

and

figs.

and

Plate

262.

These two principles are

not

always

strongly

marked

as in

the

examples given; and

sometimes

they

are

combined;

but as a

rule the

one

the other will

always

pro-

dominate.

Plate

261. The

Architectural

FRAsm.

1. Gable-opening

a Dormer-window, Rouen, French, 17th cen-

tury,

(L'art pour

tous).

.2.

Tablet,

modem,

in the

style of the

Italian Renascence.

3. Pedestal,

Italian

Renascence, Genoa, (Owen

Jones).

Door-panel,

(Architektonisches

Skizzenbuch).

Stove -tile,

Castle of Wiilfingen

near

Winterthux, 17th

cen-

tury, (Kunsthandwerk).

Desk

in S. Giorgio

maggiore, Venice,

Italian, Renascence.

Coflfer,

cupola

of the Dagobert Tower,

Baden-Baden,

German,

Renascence.

—9.

Pulpit,

Magdeburg cathedral,

German,

1595

—

1597,

(Gewerbe-

halle).

10.

Door

of cabinet, in the style

the German

Renascence,

(Formenschatz).

11.

Door

of a

sideboard.

Louvre, Paris, Renascence.

FRAMES.

463

The

Architectural

Frame.

Plate

261.

464

FRAMES.

Plate 262. The Architectural Frame.

Tlie

Architectural

Frame, Mirror-Frame, &c.

465

Plate

262.

The

Archttecturai. Frame.

1. German, 17th century, Stalls, Stiftskirche, Aschaflfenburg,

(Ge-

werbehalb).

Italian,

Renascence, (Formenschatz).

French,

1529,

Lozenge panel, choir of Chartres

cathedral,

(Raguenet).

RenascencQ,

by Enea Vico, (Formenschatz).

Italian,

Renascence, Panel of the stalls,

S. Giorgio

maggidre,

Venice.

6. German Renascence, Frame

small

niche, Dagobert

Tower,

Baden-Baden,

—

8. Modem, French,

Hotel Mirabaud,

Paris,

Architect

Magne,

(Raguenet).

'Modern,

the style of the

German Renascence.

10,

Modem, French, Paris, (Raguenet).

The Mirrdr-Frame,

&c. (Plates

263—264).

The moveable Mirror

-frames,

which are designed and

made

be hxmg-up, might

have been classed

among the Furniture;

but they

are more conveniently

treated here.

The Middle

Ages framed

Altar-

pieces and

the Pictures of

the saints;

but the

universal

use

of frames

begins

with the

Renascence; and

it is particularly Italy

which has

preserved the most

numerous examples

of this period.

At first

meet with

Architectural-frames; but

simultaneously

with the transition

from

the Mural-picture of

the Middle Ages

(which had

been

part

of the wall),

the

Table-picture (which

was portable), the

treatment

becomes freer

and less constrained. And

when

the architectural

members

were afterwards

blended-together

scroll-work, the funda-

mental architectural idea generally

remained

visible, as may

be seen

from

the

Barocco and

Louis

XVI

frames in

Plates 263.

1, 2, 6,

and

10;

and

264.

and

4. It was

reserved for Modem times

to cut -up

factory-made mouldings

into

lengths, to produce

frames

of any

required

size,

without regard to the

proportion which

should exist between the

frame and

the enclosed

space. Cheap and practical!

but Art has gained

nothing

by it.

Still,

we"

would not

understood

say

that our

time does not occasionally

produce frames

which completely satisfy

the demands

both

technique and

taste.

The chief material

is wood; but bronze

is used for

fr-ames

small

size. The old

custom of painting and gilding

the carved-wood

frames,

led to the manufacture

of the so-called

"gilt frame",

which

made of stamped

brass.

Opinions may differ

the justification

of these frames from

an aesthetic point of view;

but

there

little

Merer, Handbook of Ornament.

466 FEAMES.

Plate 263.

The

Mirror-Frame,

&c.

FRAMES.

467

The Mirror-Frame,

&c.

Plate 264.

30*

468 The

Mirror-Frame, &c.

—

The Strap-work

Frame.

doubt

that the

metallic

frame tends

to enhance

the effect

coloured

pictures.

Porcelain

and glass

have

also

been used

materials for

frames; but their

propriety will always be

questionable.

addition

outline and style of decoration:

important

part

is played by

the amount of projection

the

Frame. The effect

a picture,

which appears to

recessed behind

Bevel-frame,

is very

different from

that

of one

which seems

to be brought into relief

a Torus

moulding.

The

fundamental form of

the frame

usually

oblong, either figure-wise or

landscape- wise; circular,

elliptic, or square

frames, are rarer. Sometimes

the

outer

shape of

the

Frame

differs

from tiie

inner

shape (Plate 263.

10).

In the Barocco period,

frames received

number

arbitrary curved forms; as shown

on Plate

263,

fig.

Plate

263. The

Mirror

-frame, &c.

—2. German, 18th

century,

Berlin,

(Kunsthandwerk).

—

4. French,

angle

ornaments

wall -panels, old castle

Bercy,

near

Paris, 18

century,

(Raguenet).

5. Barocco,

witn

bracket,

Paul Decker,

(Formenschatz).

Rococo,

(Formenschatz).

—8.

French,

Louis

XVI., by

Londe,

(Wessely).

—10.

French, Louis

XVI.,

Delafosse,

(Raguenet).

PiATE 264. The

Mirror-

frame,

&c.

—

Renascence,

(Raguenet).

—

Italian Renascence,

Florence,

(Gewerbehalle).

Modem,

(Gewerbehalle).

Modem, by

Prof.

Schick,

Carlsruhe.

Modern,

the

architect

Huber,

Frankfort.

The

Strap-work

Frame.

(Plates

265

—

266.)

When the

Frame

cut

into

fantastic

shapes

and

bands,

which

interlace and

curl,-

leathern

Straps;

then it

termed

the

Strap-

work

Frame.

It is

much used,

in the

later

Renascence,

for

Shields,

Tablets,

&c.;

and is

characteristic

of the

Elizabethan

style.

Foliage,

palinettes,

festoons

and

garlands

fruit,

fluttering,

ribbons,

cherab-

heads,

&c.

are

frequently

added.

Strap-work

was an

iavention

the

Ren;vscence;

and it is

extremely

common,

especially

in the

later

years

that period.

This

kind

Frame

-work

frequently

used,

not

Frame, but

for

mere

decorative

purposes,

that

the

fields to

framed are

left

as empty

spaces.

Strap-work

appears

architecture,

sepulchral

monuraents,

and

epitaphs;

medals

and

coins;

cabinet-

FRAMES.

469

The Strap-work

Frame.

Plate

265.

470

FEAMES.

Plate

266.

The

Strap-work

Frame.'