An Inspired Charles Prendergast Frame for a Turn of the Century Portrait
Charles Prendergast was a renowned frame-maker at the turn of the century. He is the brother of painter, Maurice Prendergast. Charles believed picture frames should “bring out all the fine points of a good picture”. Maurice’s frame designs are typical of the Arts and Crafts movement, where artists and artisans honored the natural beauty of the materials that they were created from.
This heirloom albumen print arrived at our studio for framing. The client wanted an elegant finished corner frame reminiscent of the period but did not want something overly ornate. We selected this 3/4″ width, Charles Prendergast-inspired frame. The two-tone 22k and 12k white gold leaf with inscribed flower blossoms at each corner provided visual interest without overwhelming the portrait.
The sample and the design
The image on the left is the inspiration sample selected from the collection in our showroom. With the inspiration sample selected, our team sketched a scaled design that would work with the petite size of the portrait. The image on the right shows the inspiration sample with the new design, proportioned to the piece.
Fabrication of the frame
The raw wood profile was cut to size and joined. The surface was sized and primed with gesso. Each layer of gesso was sanded between layers to ensure a perfectly smooth surface. Layers of red clay bole were applied. The floral design at the corners was then inscribed by hand.
Floral design at the corners
Detail of the hand-drawn floral design and the resulting inscribed pattern within the clay bole at the corners.
The frame was prepared for gilding. The corners were gilded with 22k yellow gold leaf. Additional 22k gold leaf was applied within the leaf and flower motifs. The rails were gilded with 12k white gold leaf.
The gilded surface was burnished and then lightly rubbed to selectively reveal the red clay bole beneath. A toned glaze was applied to add contrast to the design.
The result
The portrait was archivally hinged within a neutral, 8ply ragboard bookmat. UV filtering, anti-reflective Museum Glass was installed to help protect the portrait while on view. With the details of the floral design and the implementation of two different karats of gold leaf, this frame honors the vision of Prendergast by “bringing out the fine points of a good picture”.
Contact us at info@artifactservices.com to learn more about how we can assist with a historically inspired project today.