A Reproduction Spanish Cassetta Frame

Cassetta Frames in the National Gallery

My favourite antique frame styles are Italian and Spanish cassetta frames, here are a few I saw recently at the National Gallery in London.

Viva España

Finishing the Spanish frame

The frame is toned with various mixtures, such as rabbit skin glue and powdered pigments, coloured shellac, microcrystalline wax and grey rottenstone.

Black Pelikan Plaka paint

The flat panels and sides are painted with black casein based emulsion paint.

Spanish Gold

Here Mark is gilding the big Spanish frame, he is using metal leaf and acrylic gold size. The leaf was distressed and then it was sealed with shellac.

Spanish painted red and yellow

Spanish ornament

These photos show the next stage of this frame. Gesso is brushed on the wood, (which has been sized first) and the ornament is cast in plaster and then applied to the frame, the plaster is also coated in gesso. Once this is done the next stage is sanding, which is possibly the least enjoyable aspect of making picture frames this way.

Making a big Spanish frame

This frame will be a Spanish style cassetta type profile, the main frame section is built up from 4 separate mouldings. It will be ornamented, gesso will be applied, then red and yellow base colours, then it will be gilded, parts will be painted black, and finally it will be distressed, antiqued and toned.

Our little framing team was recently joined by a new member! Mark, who has over 20 years experience working as a picture framer and gilder, brings with him a wealth of knowledge, including: veneering, stained and polished wood finishes, washline mounts and mount decoration, antique finishes, photography, mounting techniques, and experience in many other areas of the framing and gilding business.  

Classic and Contemporary

Old meets new with the juxtaposition of a modern flamingo oil on board by Jeremy Houghton with a reproduction Spanish 17th Century Baroque style frame.This lovely frame came from the Lacy Gallery in London, a dream shop for anyone who loves antique frames.