Black and Gold Dutch Frame for Oil Paintings, Made to Measure

A black and gold Dutch frame for oil paintings, which I hand-make to measure from solid wood: a deep, full profile in satin black, with a narrow sight edge water gilded in 23-karat gold leaf right against the painting. It follows the tradition of Dutch and Flemish frames, where a dark, substantial face and a thin line of gold at the opening have accompanied oil painting for centuries. It suits oil paintings on canvas, prints and photography in larger formats, and reads equally well in a gallery or a private collection.

Profile and chiaroscuro

The profile is deep and full: the moulding stands 67 mm high on a 79 mm width. At the sight edge it opens with a rabbet that holds the work, framed by a narrow gilded lip that separates the black from the picture field. Moving outward, the black rises through fine steps, sweeps into a broad, smooth cove, and resolves in a bold, rounded outer edge that gathers light around the whole perimeter. The play of hollow and curve gives the frame its chiaroscuro: the cove holds shadow while the rounded crown catches a band of reflection, visually setting the painting deeper into the wall.

Specification

• Style: Dutch-style frame, black and gold
• Profile: deep, with a broad cove and a rounded outer edge
• Finish: hand-painted satin black; sight edge water gilded in 23-karat gold leaf over red bole, agate burnished
• Moulding width: 79 mm
• Moulding depth: 67 mm
• Rabbet: 7 mm wide (depth matched to the thickness of the work)
• Material: low-tannin solid wood, suitable for conservation framing
• Corner joints: wooden splines
• Glass: optional (Opti White, anti-reflective or museum – see Complete framing)
• Backing: optional (Dibond 3mm panel)
• Matting: optional (acid-free foam board)
• Mounting and hanging: spring clips, picture wire (portrait or landscape), D-ring on request
• Floater version (no rabbet): available
• Use: oil paintings on canvas, prints, drawings, photography; larger formats
• Lead time: 20–30 working days
• Calculator size: up to 120×80 cm (larger by individual order)

The dimensions given are the outer edges of the finished frame including the moulding; the rabbet opening is correspondingly smaller. I make each frame to the size of a specific work, so please give the dimensions of the painting, not the frame.

What it suits

This black and gold Dutch frame is built first for oil paintings on canvas: the black quiets the field around the composition, while the thin line of gold draws the eye inward. It suits portraits, landscapes and still lifes in the spirit of the Old Masters, yet its restrained form frames contemporary painting, prints and photography just as well. In larger formats the deep profile gives a work presence and weight without overwhelming it.

On the wall it creates a gallery mood: it looks at home against a deep, saturated colour, in classic and transitional interiors, and in collectors' spaces where a single piece is meant to anchor the room. You can browse the wider range in black picture frames, and you can also see a related black and gold oil painting frame from the same family.

How it is made

I make each frame myself, from board to finished piece. The profile is milled from solid wood to its full 67 mm depth, and the corners are joined with wooden splines before gessoing, giving rigid, durable joints. I then lay the gesso and a red bole ground for gilding, hand-paint the black (the faint brush texture is part of the surface), and seal it with traditional shellac and wax for a deep, satin sheen.

The sight edge against the painting is water gilded with genuine 23-karat gold leaf: I lay the leaves side by side with about a 1 mm overlap and burnish them with an agate stone to a mirror-bright finish. The faint overlaps you can catch in raking light are a mark of authentic water gilding, not a flaw. The leaves, around 80 mm square, are cut with a knife on the gilder's cushion to fit the narrow lip exactly. I write more about this tradition in my guide to Dutch frames.

How it differs from mass production

This is not an off-the-shelf frame. The moulding is solid wood, not MDF or a foil-wrapped profile. The gold at the painting is genuine 23-karat leaf, water gilded and agate burnished, not a printed gold effect or a metallic lacquer. The black is hand-painted and hand-sealed, the corners are splined, and each frame is made one at a time to the size of a specific work. It takes longer to make, but it holds its shape and finish for decades.

Function

The frame is ready to display a work safely. Spring clips hold the painting gently against the rabbet, and a picture wire is fitted for hanging in your chosen orientation. The 67 mm depth takes both a stretched canvas and a work on paper with matting and glass, should you choose the full mounting. The same moulding can also be made as a floating frame, without a rabbet, where a work on a thin panel appears to hover inside the frame with an even gap all around.

Complete framing – additional options

Every frame can be completed with a full archival mounting prepared in the workshop: glass, archival backing and matting. All components are available as a custom add-on – quote on request.

Glass – four classes available

Opti White, 4mm – low-iron glass with a neutral, colourless appearance (no green tint typical of standard float glass). Available up to 90×90 cm – the only option for larger works.

Ultra Vue UV70 (Tru Vue), 2.0mm – anti-reflective glass with 70% UV protection, low-iron. Available up to 60×80 cm.

Art View – premium-class anti-reflective glass: reflection reduced below 1%, up to 75% UV protection, scratch-resistant coating, low-iron, can be cut and mounted from either side. Meets ISO 18916 (Photographic Activity Test) – safe for archival photography. Premium quality at an accessible price. Available up to 60×80 cm.

Optium Museum Acrylic (Tru Vue) – top-tier museum acrylic: over 99% UV protection, museum-grade reflection reduction, anti-static, lightweight, shatter-resistant. The museum standard for conservation work and archival photography. Available up to 60×80 cm.

Archival backing

Dibond 3mm aluminium composite panel – two layers of aluminium with an acid-free polymer core. Rigid, chemically neutral, dimensionally stable. An industry standard in archival photographic framing and art conservation.

Mounting and matting

Acid-free foam board – chemically neutral, will not yellow over time, will not react with paper or photographic emulsions. Archival standard.

Full museum framing

Combining anti-reflective UV-filtering glass, acid-free matting, Dibond backing and conservation hinging tapes provides a museum-grade mounting – protecting the work from light damage, acid migration from typical framing materials, and mechanical distortion. This type of framing is used in museums, galleries and private collections.

To order: all of the above components are available as a frame add-on on request. Please get in touch with the dimensions of your work and your preferred glass class – I will prepare an individual quote.

Mounting and hanging

As standard I secure the artwork with spring clips, which hold it gently against the rabbet and allow safe removal without touching the frame. Brass mounting plates are available on request. I prepare the frame for hanging in the orientation chosen at checkout (portrait or landscape): a picture wire is fitted as standard, with a single D-ring available on request.

Ordering made to measure

I make the frame to the size of a specific painting. Please measure the width and height of the work carefully and enter the dimensions to within 0.1 cm in the calculator on the page (for example 35 × 30.2 cm). I build in the small technical clearance that helps the painting sit in the frame, usually about 3 mm. The calculator works out the price of the finished frame from the perimeter and the base price, and you can add it straight to the basket.

The calculator covers formats up to 120×80 cm. For larger works, a specific type of gold or shade of black, or to add glass, backing or a floating version, please get in touch before ordering so I can prepare an individual quote. The lead time is 20–30 working days.

Frequently asked questions

What paintings does a black and gold Dutch frame suit?
It is made for oil paintings on canvas, and also works for prints, drawings and photography. The deep profile and gilded sight edge sit naturally with darker, classical compositions and portraits, while still framing contemporary work cleanly on a neutral wall.

What gold is the sight edge gilded with?
I water gild the sight edge with genuine 23-karat gold leaf over a red bole ground, then burnish it with an agate stone. It is the classic warm, intense gold, laid leaf by leaf.

Can I order the frame without glass and backing?
Yes. As standard I make the frame with mounting hardware only; glass, a Dibond backing and acid-free matting are available as an add-on on request.

Can you make it as a floater (without a rabbet)?
Yes. Every profile can be made as a floating frame, with the work on a thin panel suspended at a chosen depth and an even gap all around. Please get in touch before ordering.

How do I order a made-to-measure frame?
Measure your painting to within 0.1 cm and enter the dimensions in the calculator on the product page. I build in the small technical clearance needed (about 3 mm). The calculator covers formats up to 120×80 cm; larger sizes are quoted individually.