Ogee frame
Unknown Artist
ca. 1700
Medium
Oak. Carved, gilt; red-brown bole.
Dimensions
Overall: 51 9/16 × 38 3/16 in. (131 × 97 cm) Sight: 40 13/16 × 27 9/16 in. (103.7 × 70 cm) Rabbet: 42 5/16 × 28 15/16 in. (107.5 × 73.5 cm)
Classification
Frames
Culture
French
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.2241
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Ogee frame* from 1700 exemplifies the opulent craftsmanship of French decorative arts during the late Baroque period. Crafted from oak and originating in France, it features the signature ogee profile—a graceful, double-S curve that became a hallmark of 17th- and early 18th-century European frames. Measuring over 51 inches tall, this substantial frame was designed to encase and elevate paintings, transforming them into architectural statements in grand salons or palaces. The frame's construction highlights masterful techniques: the oak was intricately carved to create undulati...