Art has no niceties…

Art admirers know that the perception of a picture can be modified once another frame appears.

“The frame chosen neatly and properly can perfectly distinguish the advantages of an art piece, making it whole and visible in its surroundings. A picture with no frame looks exactly like a jem without a setting or a book with no binding and cover”, thinks Oxana Alexandrovna Lysenko, a senior research assistant of the State Russian Museum.

Leonardo da Vinci. Virgin of the Rocks.
Carved Frame of the Renaissance (Louvre, Paris).

The carved frame of the last third part of the 18th century taken from the graphic portrait
of Katherine the Second Empress of Russia (the State Russian Museum, Saint-Petersburg)

O. Kiprensky. The portrait of B. Thorvaldsen. Italian carved frame
of the 19th century chosen by the painter (the State Russian Museum, Saint-Petersburg)

V. Vereschagin. Japan Woman.
Author’s frame dated by the 1900s (the State Russian Museum, Saint-Petersburg)

V. Kandinsky. All Saints.
(The City Gallery of Lenbachhauz, Munich)

With the belief that art always has no niceties and little things, we addressed Oxana Lysenko, one of the most recognized Russian fine art experts, and asked her to tell us about the origin and evolution of picture frames. A lecture and a demonstration called “In chime with Picture. The Story of Picture Frame Creation” became integral part of the business agenda of the III International Exhibition of Calligraphy (September 10-12, 2010, Velikiy Novgorod).

Oxana Lysenko