The vision of St Stanislaus
1899

• Arthur LOUREIRO

The framing of the painting is recorded in Thallon’s ledger with an entry for 2 October 1899. The frame cost £24-2-5, including freight and insurance.² Interestingly the frame is not carefully made; one of the torus sections has been put in place the wrong way round. It is nevertheless a very imposing frame, reflecting a broad flat form, which developed in Melbourne in the late 1880s through to the early years of the twentieth century. At 13 ins. wide overall it is the widest of the group. It seems likely the frame was made to be dismounted and to travel with the picture to Paris in 1900.

Notes

1 The restoration was carried out by Sandra Cockburn.

2 The full transcription of the entry notes:

One large frame 10ft. x 6ft. 6, 12” moulding supplying packing and delivery to Spencer St. R.S; 18-Freight from Spencer St to post Melbourne 4-1

Insurance 1-9-9

Freight 4-5-7

Making out insurance papers 3 + customs entries 3 24-2-5

The frame is built on a plank of soft wood (13 ins wide), which has battens added to the reverse to form the working edge and the rebate. The rebate battens run through on the horizontal members to strengthen the mitred corners. The outer edge carries a plaster torus of imbricated oak leaves while a bead course runs close to the bevelled sight edge. The wide flat carries a frieze of coarse sand. The surface is false gold with the sanded frieze carrying a change of colour. The frame is designed to be taken apart for travel, with tie-bolts across the corners.

The wide single plank that forms the base of the frame has remained relatively flat; however shrinkage across the grain has led to cupping and losses in the surface of the frieze. The frame was restored in 1995.¹ The sanded frieze was largely re-surfaced. Some losses in the torus have been replaced.