Frames Glossary

Name	Description	Image
Abacus	Square slab found on top of a capital.
Acanthus	Any of the stylized forms of the Acanthus plant, such as Acanthus mollis, introduced by the Greeks.
Animal glue	A family of traditional protein colloid adhesives made from the skin, bones, or organs typically of horses and cattle, but also rabbits and fish.
Antefix	The closing ornament on the roof of buildings or on the top of an object.
Antependium	A hanging which was suspended over and in front of the alter in medieval churches.
Anthemion	Based on semi-naturalistic ornament imitating palm plants of palmettes, and sometimes alternating with honeysuckle linked by helixes and cauliculi.
Architectural	See Kentian.
Architrave	A group of raised moldings on the lower side of an entablature.
Archivolt	The molding running around the face of an arch immediately above the opening.
Arris	Sharp edge of molding.
Astragal	A half-circle convexity, often referred to as a miniature torus.
Artist frame	Frame designed by artist and incorporated into the artwork’s design.
Auricular	A 17th-century frame style resembling ears and earlobes. These frames were highly stylized, free-flowing interpretations of organic forms, usually animal or marine in nature.
Back edge	Among the molding courses farthest from the innermost or sight edge.
Base	Horizontal moldings beneath a column, engaged column, or pilaster.
Bead-and-Reel	An astragal which has been worked into a pattern of alternating pearls and extended pearls.
Beading	Semicircular molding carved to resemble a string of beads; sometimes called a pearl course.
Bevel	Dominated by large flat surfaces angled inward toward the sight edge.
Blocked corners	A frame with square raised corners.
Bole	A soft, oily clay mixed with glue size and used as a colored and burnishable substrate for water gilding.
Bolection	A reverse section frame type, adapted from Baroque architecture introduced in the late 17th century, with a distinctly convex shaped inner molding course curving downward to a lower molded course on the outer edge.
Bronzed	Late 19th-century revival style intentionally colored with a brown-bronze finish.
Burnishing	Late 19th-century revival style intentionally colored with a brown-bronze finish.The process of polishing to a high sheen the water gilt bole surface with a smooth agate tipped burnishing tool. Only water gilding can be burnished.
Bucranium	Ornament in the form of an ox skull, usually in low or half relief.
C-scroll	Any of various “C” shaped elements scroll, especially popular in Rococo ornamentation.
Cabling	Similar to rope but the carved elements are closer to perpendicular to the molding length.
Cameo	Small oval decoration derived from the carved classical gemstones, which may be part of a frieze or predella.
Canted corner	An angled (oblique-angled) line or surface that cuts off a corner.
Capital	The collection of elements crowning a column, engaged column, or pilaster, There are five orders: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and Composite.
Cartouche	A boss-like raised ornament, often asymmetrical, used as a centering motif.
Cassetta	1. Italian term for architrave; a tripartite frame comprising a simple, lap-jointed back frame and entablature-derived moldings. 2. Molding derived from entablature, with sight and back edge moldings separated by a frieze.
Cauliculus	See Rinceau.
Cavetto	Molding type comprised of a quarter-circle concavity.
Chamfer	A beveled edge.
Coffer	Derived from a sunken panel in a ceiling or soffit, it consists of a rosette surrounded by four lengths of taenia molding.
Column	Freestanding circular supporting shaft, usually completed at top and bottom with a capital and base respectively.
Compo	Short for Composition. A putty-like casting material simulating carved wood. It is usually made from a heated mixture of chalk or whiting, animal glue, linseed oil, and resin that is pressed into rigid molds and applied to nearly any surface shape while still warm and flexible. Typically, the surface was then gilded or painted. The compo elements are highlighted in red at right.
Composite order	One of the five classical orders. A Roman elaboration of the Corinthian order, having the acanthus leaves of its capital combine with the large volutes of the Ionic order, and other elaborate details.
Congé	Cove base molding flush at the top with the wall above, but with a fillet between the cove and the floor.
Console	Bracket in the shape of an S-scroll, with one end broader than the other.
Corbel	A support projecting from a vertical surface.
Corinthian order	The slenderest and most ornate of the three Greek orders, characterized by a bell-shaped capital with volutes and two rows of acanthus leaves, and with an elaborate cornice. Much used by the Romans for its showiness.
Cornice	Group of raised moldings on the upper side of an entablature.
Cove	Also called a scoop. A molding profile similar to a cavetto molding, concave and about a quarter-circle or less in profile. It was commonly use in Rococo furniture and interiors to link two opposed surfaces, such as a wall and soffit or a wall and ceiling.
Crackle finish	A crackle finish, or craquelure, is a pattern of finish shrinkage often revealing underlying layers.
Cross-hatch	Background texture, usually an X-shaped pattern incised in the gesso.
Cushion	A frame type featuring a somewhat flattened convex section molding. They could feature carved reliefs often in the clasped leaf and tulip motifs. Other common patterns are a waving pattern of twisted leaves and beads on a string. Similar to the French Louis XIII style.
Cyma recta	Generically called an ogee when the orientation is unclear. Classical entablature concavity continuing into a convexity.
Cyma reversa	Also referred to as a reverse ogee. Classical entablature convexity running into a concavity.
Dentil	Regularly spaced row of small blocks forming part of a cornice or carved molding.
Diagonal spline	A separate structural joining element perpendicular to the mitered joint. Various shapes include tapered wedges or thin veneers called feather splines.
Diapering	Surface decoration composed of repeated small geometrical shapes such as diamonds or squares etc. connecting with one another.
Distemper yellow ocher	A generic description for the yellow-painted outer edge of frames using a glue-based medium mixed with yellow ocher pigment.
Dolphin	Decorative motif; mythological fish-like sea creature. Derived from ancient Greek and Roman art.
Doric order	The column and entablature developed by the Dorian Greeks, sturdy in proportion, with a simple cushion capital, a frieze of triglyphs and metopes, and mutules in the cornice.
Echinus	Derived from an ovolo molding below the abacus, a band ornament with egg-and-dart or flutes interwoven with volutes.
Egg-and-dart	An ovolo carved with sheathed ovoids alternating with pointed (or other) forms, possibly derived from a schematized lotus leaf.
Eglomisé	A border treatment inside a wooden frame that is reverse painted and gilt on glass.
Entablature	Horizontal area supported by columns and consisting of architrave, frieze, and cornice.
Fasces	A reed and ribbon motif, symbolic of Roman authority that shows up in early 19th century frames.
Fascia	Broad or narrow, shallow step derived from classical architrave. A general term for flat course in a molding.
Feather spline(s)	A type of diagonal spline: a thin saw kerf cut that is parallel to frames front surface and perpendicular to the miter joint, filled with veneer like piece of wood.
Festoon	Also referred to as a swag. Decorative draping chain or garland of foliage, flowers, and/or fruit.
Fillet	Classically derived small step between larger moldings. Can be executed raised or recessed.
Finial	A round antefix.
Flemish scroll	A scroll consisting of a reversed C-scroll joined to a C-scroll in such a way as to not form a flowing line.
Fleur-de-lis	Stylized cluster of three flowers or petals, with central one erect and others bending outward. A heraldic device throughout Europe from late medieval times, associated especially with the French.
Flute	Vertical concave channels cut into shafts of columns or pilasters; regularly spaced scotias often alternating with darts and sometimes cabled or reeded.
Fly specking	A pattern of black specks from fly (or spider, typically white) droppings indicating age or benign neglect. Or, in this image of a reproduction, the imitation by brush-flicked black paint overspray.
Frieze	Also referred to as a plate. A flat area between raised moldings, often not decorated. Also, the flat area between the cornice and the architrave.
Gadroon	Or Godroon, also referred to as lobing. A decorative motif consisting of convex curves in a series. In furniture and other decorative arts, it is an ornamental carved band of tapered, curving and sometimes alternating concave and convex sections, usually diverging obliquely either side of a central point, often with rounded ends vaguely reminiscent of flower petals.
Gesso	A standard substrate material comprising chalk and animal glue used to prepare a surface, especially wood, for painting or gilding.
Gilder’s liquor	Used in the process of water gilding, a wetting mixture of water, alcohol and sizing used to activate the glue just prior to laying gold leaf.
Gilding	The process of applying gold leaf or other precious metal leaf to a prepared surface.
Glair	Traditional European toning/matting varnish on gilding. It was also used as a size for some gilding techniques.
Greek fret	See Meander.
Guilloche	A low-relief running ornament depicting interwoven strands.
Guttae	Plural of gutta. A set of small, drop-like ornaments, usually found in a Doric frieze.
Half lap	A joint where half of the total thickness of each member overlaps at the corner.
Half lap miter	A joint with a diagonal mitered upper portion which conceals a half lap lower portion.
Hazzling	Zig-zag chasing/cutting to add texture to the background in the gesso.
Husk	Foliage ornament that pertains to corn husks often in a naturalistic vertical series.
Imbrication	An overlapping pattern usually of scales, flowers, or leaves.
Ionic order	The column and entablature originated by the Ionian Greeks, having a capital with large volutes, a fasciated entablature, continuous frieze, and usually dentils in the cornice.
Italian Style	For the purposes of this glossary, the two styles of frames are Salvator Rosa and Maratta (see below).
Salvator Rosa	Similar to Maratta, an Italian frame associated with the 17th century artist Salvator Rosa, made popular in Britain in the 18th Century. The frame’s profile is a central scotia bordered by an astragal at the front outer edge and a narrow molding at the inner edge. Part of the ornament is applied to the profile rather than carved from it. The cove is undecorated. Decorative features include tongues, acanthus leaves, flutes, and beading.
Maratta	Similar to Salvator Rosa, a frame that has a deep front hollow and a prominent outward curving top edge undercut by a back hollow. The inner cove has a continuous design. Decorative features often seen are tongues, acanthus leaves, and sometimes gadroons and shells. An Italian styled frame that gained popularity in Britain and was widely used during the period of 1750-1790. It received its namesake from its association with artist Carlo Maratta.
Kentian	Also referred to as architectural frames. Popular from 1720-1760, the Kentian frame references British architect William Kent. It is essentially an architrave dominated by projecting square corners, flat frieze, and raised and carved outer edges.
Key	Also called a stretcher key; a tapered wedge fitted into joint openings on the back of and used for adjusting tension of a painting’s stretcher.
Knulling	A British term, in definition similar to gadroon.
Lamb’s tongue	Technically a cyma reversa from Roman architecture; a popular low-relief Neoclassical ornament, usually molded in compo.
Leaf and tongue	Carved ornament of alternating stylized acanthus leaf and tongue shapes, among several common motifs on British 18th-century Maratta-style frames.
Meander	Also referred to as a Greek fret. Geometric running pattern of maze-like squared lines.
Metope	The blank or decorated space between the triglyphs of a Doric frieze.
Miter	A joint where the joining edges are cut at an angle equaling half of the corner angle (45° for a 90°corner).
Modillion	A horizontal bracket or console, usually in the form of a scroll with an acanthus, supporting the corona under a cornice.
Mortise and Tenon	A joint composed of a mortise (cavity) and a tenon (projection) that can be executed as a stopped or a through tenon.
Mutule	A sloping, flat block on the soffit of a Doric cornice, usually decorated with rows of six guttae; occurs over each triglyph and each metope of the frieze.
Neoclassical	A frame with designs and features that harken back to the time of antiquity, particularly that of ancient Rome. They could reference architectural elements.
Early Neoclassicism'	A general period classification of frame styles often narrow, rectilinear or cove-profiled, with restrained ornamentation of classically inspired bead, water leaf, or cable courses.
Late Neoclassicism'	These frames were categorized by deeper profiles and bolder taste. They could have extensive ornamentation, aided by the use of pressed compo ornament. The moldings were often wider and heavier. Older frames were sometimes remodeled to fit the neoclassical style. In France, the anthemion and lotus motifs were popular, but they were not widely used in England.
Ogee	Molding or element with an S-shaped profile. See Cyma recta.
Ogee style	First third of the 19th century molding, dominated by a flattened S-curve.
Oil gilding	The process of gilding in which the surface is coated with a layer of varnish or oil size. After the varnish or oil surface has partially dried to the desired tack, the gold leaf is applied. The gold is not burnished.
Ovolo	A molding with an approximately quarter-circle convexity.
Palmette	Shallow symmetrical cluster of stylized leaves based on palm fronds.
Panel frame	Late 17th-century molding similar to bunched leaf. The name refers to the flat areas between the running foliage.
Parcel gilt	A presentation generally contrasting gilt highlights with un-gilt elements.
Pastel frame	Frame made to house pastels, which has two rabbets: the outermost for glass and inner for the artwork.
Patera	Radially symmetrical floral ornament with petals surrounding a central boss.
Pediment	The form, usually triangular, carried above the entablature of a classical temple; it may also be semicircular or broken.
Pilaster	An engaged flat pier or half-pier resembling a column.
Plaster, molded	A three-dimensional architectural ornament made from calcium carbonate or calcium sulfate, some late 19th-century frame applications.
Plate	See Frieze.
Predella	The bottom tier of an altar piece, between the principal panel or base-relief and the altar itself.
Plinth	Also referred to as a pedestal. Substructure supporting a column, usually standing forward of the horizontal molding and predella/antependium.
Pyramidal molding	A variation of a bevel type with the prominent angular top molding.
Quatrefoil	A four-lobed shape or aperture.
Quirk bead	A molding consisting of a bead separated from an adjoining surface.
Rabbet	Also referred to as a rebate. The recess beneath the sight edge of a frame, intended to receive the framed object.
Reverse	A frame type or molding with its highest course on the sight edge.
Ribbon and stick	A raised, applied, or carved ornament with the appearance of a twisted flat ribbon wound around a narrow dowel.
Rinceau	Also referred to as caliculus. A running ornament of acanthus, lotus foliage, or protruding scrolls and corner ornaments.
Rocaille	An 18th-century term for rocklike, wavelike, or other flowing organic curves and piercings.
Rococo	Including but not exclusive to swept frames. These often have swept sides and could be very elaborate. Common elements include C-scroll corners and [[#Ogee|ogee] sections. Those made in France by French Huguenot craftsmen are often more organic, sculptural, and three-dimensional than the Rococo frames of England. English frames are more linear and have arrangements of flowers and leaves.
Rondel	Also see tondo. A circular frame.
Rope	Molding made of a dowel or portion of a dowel carved to resemble a twisted rope.
Rosette	A stylized, usually round, floral ornament based on the lotus blossom.
Rottenstone	A gray powder imitating dirt often used in the artificial patina applied to modern replica frames.
Rustic	Comprising stylized or real unrefined naturalistic elements.
Sanded	Sand glued onto a surface prior to gilding to create surface texture.
Scroll	A volute which curls out of plane, suggesting a partially un-furled paper scroll.
Scotia	Concave half-circle molding with bottom projecting beyond the top.
Shell	This motif is a realistic representation of a clam-like shell.
Sight edge	The inner edge of the frame adjacent to the picture.
Silver gilt	Silver-leaf gilding was popular in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and then again after the mid-19th century, the latter period often featuring a yellow-toning varnish rendering a pale gold. Scratches in the coating result in black silver sulfide corrosion spots over time.
Size	1. In reference to gilding a preparatory adhesive layer often oil. 2. A liquid which is applied over wood, plaster, or other porous surfaces to fill pores; reduces the absorption of subsequently applied adhesive or coating.||
Slip frame	The inner, smaller molding fitted into the rabbet of the primary, larger molding for adjusting the opening size.
Soffit	The exposed undersurface of any overhead component of a building, such as an arch, balcony, beam, cornice, or lintel.
Spandrel	Area between an archivolt or shaped opening in its rectangular surround, usually filling the corners of rectangular frames.
Split spindle molding	Frame composed of turned forms, half cylinders, of vernacular style.
S-scroll	An “S” shaped scroll, often partly overlaid by foliage in Rococo frames.
Stencil gilt	Oil gilding technique using bronze powders and stencils, popular in the mid-19th century.
Stopped fluting	The lower portion of a fluted column or pilaster with convexly-filled-in fluting.
Strapwork	A type of ornament consisting of a narrow fillet or band which is folded, crossed, and interlaced.
Stretcher	Also called the stretcher frame, this is the primary structure onto which a painting’s canvas is fixed.
Swag	Also see Festoon. A draping ornament cluster or cloth fastened at both ends and hanging down in the middle.
Swept	A frame type of the Rococo period, especially French in origin, 18th-century period term. Overall curvilinear design with “S” and “C” scrolls.
Tabernacle	A frame characterized by architectonic structural and decorative members, most often based on classical aedicular precedents.
Taenia	Any small, flat, raised molding.
Tondo	Also see rondel. A frame with circular sight and back edges.
Top edge	The molding nearest to the viewer, or the projection farthest from the back of the frame.
Torus	A half-circle convexity.
Trefolio	An ornamental motif, radially symmetrical, three-lobed, formalized leaf form, usually enclosed by a circle.
Triglyph	The vertically channeled tablets of the Doric frieze in classical architecture spaced between metopes.
Tuscan order	A simplified version of the Doric order, having a plain frieze and no mutules in the cornice.
Twisted rope	An applied three-dimensional molding imitating twisted rope.
Tympanum	The recessed surface enclosed within the upper and lower cornices of a pediment.
Volute	A spiraling, scroll-like ornament.
Water gilding	The process of gilding in which the gesso and bole surface is coated with a solution of gilder’s liquor to activate the glue, followed by a quick laying-on of the gold leaf, and burnished soon after with an agate burnisher.