Artists’ Frames in Pâte Coulante: History, Design, and Method

Abstract

Paris and London, methods for presenting exhibitions were undergoing a major reconsideration, and frames from this era began to take on a new role both visually and conceptually. This development was driven by artists to indicate that their works represented a new kind of vision. Many original frames have disappeared from the walls of private collections and museums, but it is possible to piece together concept and approach through photographs, treatises, drawings, catalogues, and a few precious extant frames. This study focuses on artistdesigned frames at the end of the nineteenth century with a particular emphasis on a material known as pâte coulante, unique in its ability to render extraordinary profiles, some of which could not have been realized by any Artists’ Frames in Pâte Coulante: History, Design, and Method