Lent
(Carême)
(1888)

• Ugo CATANI

The frame is one of a matching pair on two still-life paintings by the artist.¹ It is particular in being only partly gilded. The same profile appears in the frame for Tom Roberts’ portrait of Louise, daughter of the Hon. L. L. Smith, (4647-3) from the same date, and where the frame is gilded and now carries a darkened finish.

Note

1 The other is Carnival, 1888, (2007.1) acquired at the same time.

The frame consists of a wooden profile, with only two runs of composition ornament. The timber is a softwood, possibly sequoia. The assembly is simple, using mitred corners, nailed from above and below and re-enforced with a batten across the reverse. The reeded leading edge is a separate timber section, nailed and glued in place. The working edge is formed by the addition of a batten, glued and nailed in place. The slip is positioned with blocks distributed around the reverse and held in place with nails bent over. There are thin crossed bands along each side and covering the mitres of the corners. The composition work is matte oil gilded with false gold. The timber body of the frame appears to have been stained. The appearance is darker for the bulk of the frame, lighter on the small flat and lighter again for the slip. The stained wooden surfaces are finished with a surface coating giving a soft lustre to the timber.

The frame is in original condition with a number of dents and abrasions of the soft wood surface and several losses in the composition. The mitres of the corners have opened due to the contraction across the grain of the large, solid sections of timber that form the bulk of the construction.