Frame fragment
Unknown Artist
ca. 1715–23
Medium
Carved and gilded wood
Dimensions
20 1/2 × 3 3/4 in. (52.1 × 9.5 cm)
Classification
Woodwork
Culture
French
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1906
Accession Number
07.225.343
Art Historical Context
This exquisite frame fragment, crafted in France around 1715–23, exemplifies the opulent woodworking of the early 18th century during the Regency period following Louis XIV's death.ved from wood and lavishly gilded with gold leaf, measures 20½ × 3¾ inches and likely once adorned a grand painting, mirror, or portrait frame in a noble salon. Its intricate designs—though fragmented—hint at the era's shift toward lighter, more playful motifs emerging from the heavy Baroque style, foreshadowing the full bloom of Rococo elegance. The technique of carving and gilding was a hallmark of French decorat...