Wide brown picture frame with gold leaf, made to measure

This wide brown picture frame, made to measure, pairs a broad, almost-flat face with a narrow band of gilding at the sight edge. The deep brown surface and the warm glow of the gilded edge create a setting that orders the composition and visually lifts the work off the wall, without competing with its content. It is designed for framing oil and acrylic paintings on canvas, and works equally well in a gallery, a private collection or a refined home interior.

The moulding profile

The moulding is machine-milled and then finished entirely by hand. The whole moulding is 120 mm wide. Reading the cross-section from the outer to the inner edge, the dominant plane is a broad, almost-flat frieze that occupies most of the face. At the sight edge the moulding rises into a gently raised, gilded lip, followed by a half-round hollow that descends towards the rebate. Only the inner 18 mm band — the raised lip together with the hollow — is gilded, drawing the eye from the dark, matte plane towards the artwork and forming a fine, luminous line at the edge of the work.

Which artworks and interiors it suits

The broad, restrained profile is particularly well suited to oil and acrylic paintings on a stretcher, where both rebate depth and a calm backdrop for saturated colour matter. Brown with a gilded edge stays stylistically neutral, so it harmonises with both classic and modern interiors — whether the frame is destined for a gallery, a private collection or an elegant apartment. It belongs to the gilded and partially painted picture frames category, and works on paper, prints or photographs can be framed with glass and a mount, or in a float-frame variant. The profile sits within the tradition of framing oil and acrylic paintings on canvas.

Specification

• Style: contemporary classic / gallery profile
• Colour and finish: deep brown, semi-matte surface, shellac and wax
• Gilding: inner 18 mm band, 22-karat moon gold, water gilding over red bole, rubbed through in places
• Moulding face width (whole profile): 120 mm
• Overall moulding depth: 28 mm
• Rebate depth: 20 mm (or other, to order) — for a canvas stretcher
• Rebate width: 7 mm
• Material: solid low-tannin timber, real gold leaf
• Construction: mitred corners reinforced with wooden splines
• Intended use: framing oil and acrylic paintings, canvas works; works on paper and photography with added glass and a mount

The dimensions given refer to the outer edge of the frame; the rebate opening is correspondingly smaller. Each frame is made to measure for a specific artwork, with a 2–3 mm technical tolerance so the work slides freely into the rebate.

Craftsmanship and finish

The mouldings are made from solid, low-tannin timber — a material used in museum conservation and the preservation of works of art — and the corners are joined with wooden splines before the surface is finished, giving closed, stable mitres. The surface is gessoed, hand-painted in a deep brown and sealed with shellac and wax. The inner band is gilded in real gold leaf by water gilding: a multi-layered ground preparation (gesso and red bole), followed by a single layer of gold leaf. The gilding is rubbed through in places so the red bole shows through the gold — and it is this red ground that gives the edge its warm glow. Although the profile is machine-milled, it is the handwork — gessoing, painting, gilding and corner-joining — that gives the frame its final character.

How it differs from mass production

Each frame is made individually to fit a specific work, from solid timber rather than MDF or laminated board. The edge is decorated with genuine gold leaf over red bole, not a print or a metallic foil. Every surface is hand-painted and hand-gilded, and the gilding itself is rubbed back by hand — so subtle differences in the rubbing-through and in how the red bole shows through are a natural feature of the craft rather than a defect, and make each piece unique.

Functionality

The frame is designed for framing without glass, with the canvas on its stretcher seated directly in the rebate. The work is secured as standard with spring clips fitted at the workshop; brass plates with screws can be added on request for self-installation. The hanging orientation (portrait or landscape) is chosen from the product options. Hanging cord is standard, with a single D-ring available on request.

Float-frame option

This profile can also be made as a float frame, without a rebate — the work then remains visible in an inner gap, with the edges of the canvas exposed. This is a popular choice for the three-dimensional and floating framing of contemporary painting and in the premium segment.

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.

Made to measure

Every frame is made to order. A range of richly pigmented paint colours is available, together with a semi-matte or high-gloss finish and a wide choice of gilding: white gold in 12 or 6 karat, palladium, pure silver, classic 23-karat gold and 22-karat moon gold. The sizing calculator handles works up to 120×80 cm — larger formats are quoted individually. The price depends on the perimeter of the frame (the sum of the dimensions) and the chosen finish and type of gold: a larger format means proportionally more moulding, gilding and handwork, so each quote is prepared individually. To place an order, simply provide the dimensions of your work and your preferred finish — the lead time is 20–30 working days.

Frequently asked questions

Can the frame be made in a different colour or finish?

Yes. Every frame is made to order — a range of richly pigmented paint colours is available, with a semi-matte or high-gloss finish. The type of gilding can also be changed.

What gold is the edge gilded in?

The inner band is gilded in real gold leaf (22-karat moon gold), applied by water gilding over red bole. The gilding is rubbed through by hand in places so the red bole shows through the gold — this is what gives the edge its warm glow. It is a genuine precious metal, not a foil or print. Other gilding is also available: white gold in 12 or 6 karat, palladium, pure silver and classic 23-karat gold.

Is the frame suitable for a canvas on a stretcher?

Yes. The rebate depth is 20 mm as standard (adjustable to order) and holds a stretcher securely. The same profile can also be made as a float frame.

Can I frame a work on paper or a photograph in it?

Yes — the frame is then completed with glass and a mount (archival framing, quoted individually). Four classes of glass and acid-free backing are available.

How do I order the frame and what is the lead time?

Simply provide the dimensions of your work and your preferred finish. The calculator handles formats up to 120×80 cm; larger sizes are quoted individually. The lead time is 20–30 working days.