Making six huge frames for Titian's mythological paintings | National Gallery

Peter Schade, the Head of the Framing department at the National Gallery, shows the process of creating six huge matching frames for the Titian: Love Desire Death exhibition. Matthias Wivel, Curator of 16th-century Italian paintings, and curator of the exhibition, discusses how these frames complement the paintings, known as Titian's 'poesie'.
Watch the process of these frames being created, from workshop to exhibition. This includes sourcing materials, planing, carving, gilding, and toning the frames.
Titian: Love, Desire, Death
16 March - 14 June 2020
🎟️Book now: www.nationalga...
Learn more about Titian the artist 🖌️: www.nationalga...
Paintings shown in this video:
🎨Venus and Adonis - www.museodelpr...
🎨Diana and Actaeon - www.nationalga...
🎨Diana and Callisto - www.nationalga...
🎨Death of Actaeon - www.nationalga...
🎨Rape of Europa - www.gardnermus...
🎨Perseus and Andromeda - wallacelive.wa...
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The National Gallery houses the national collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The museum is free of charge and open 361 days per year, daily between 10.00 am - 6.00 pm and on Fridays between 10.00 am - 9.00 pm.
Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN
www.nationalga...

[@mla9393]

Thank God there are still people who take art so seriously. And with such talent and joy, too! Beautiful work

[@stephanies.9620]

My goodness this is impressive. I think I’m most impressed by how the frames were cut and carved so precisely that you were able to put them together like puzzle pieces. Beautiful job

[@digitalfrrreak]

I know nothing about frame making or woodworking but just listening to this man here makes me want to work with him.

[@mariestuart52]

I hazard the thought that Titiano would have been pleased with the monumental effort of the artisans involved to frame his beloved Poesie in a manner befitting the glorious achievements of this supreme master ..

[@K.Kitbex]

Masterpieces, in themselves. And such humble craftmen & craftswoman--

[@mendohoney]

what artistry! those frame craftsmen were superb

[@nationalgallery]

We're always in awe of the work our Framing team do!

[@perditachavez]

it's great to see craftsmanship in action

[@JimmyMcDermott1]

This is fantastic, thanks so much for sharing! The detail and work poured into these frames shows through in the end result spectacularly!

[@michaeldarby3503]

Thank goodness for organisations like the National Gallery keeping these arts alive.

[@TheMoksa]

I have some photos of my family that would look great with those frames, can I place an order? But seriously, the National Gallery has a group of incredibly skilled framers

[@SeanKroner]

Gorgeous Frames! They give the paintings an ethereal magical quality. :)

[@NSABF]

The frames themselves are so beautiful, I often look at the frames as well as pictures at galleries

[@vivianramsay2527]

Oh ,my goodness! Never imagined the lengths that the gallery goes to ,to maintain the sense of continuity when refurbishing these glorious art pieces! I'm in awe of these crafts men and women ! Such depth of skills that would go unrecognized were it not for the gallery acknowledging their incredible contributions!!! Bravo ! Bravo!!

[@andrewlm5677]

The frame making is more interesting than many of the paintings - really beautiful work

[@fainatselnik267]

Sublime in technic, craftsmanship and volume. Paintings look madly amazing - Old masters at its finest.

[@marcuscicero9587]

even without the gold, considering the carvings and enormity of these pieces, each has got to be worth maybe 30-40 thousand USD. this vid was an absolute treat

[@nidaljabarin4743]

Every conversation about the National Gallery is beautiful

[@MarieAdventure]

I like the ending where the two of them admiring the beauty of the paintings

[@girlnorthof60]

I applaud all of the craftspeople involved in this monumental project for their hard work & attention to detail. Fabulous frames that could stand alone for their incredible beauty. Well done!

[@scarletpimpernelagain9124]

Looks fantastic and how heartening to see so many people from all over Europe working and cooperating together. Please all be careful, be safe and support your elderly and vulnerable neighbours in these trying times. Thank you all for all your efforts and making those stunning paintings look even more glorious.

[@ilikeoptter]

Brilliant!, an excellent tiny documentary.

[@majellaaltschuler4107]

Thank you it was wonderful to get a view into the amazing work and talent in your Framing Department. One could really see the happiness and pride taken in this great achievement. Bravo!

[@KCarver]

Incredible craftsmanship. Titian would no doubt be honoured. Bravo.

[@michaelandannehawkins3760]

I am an absolute lover of frames. I appreciate this on so many levels. Thank you for sharing.

[@LearnMoreDoBetter]

I already miss the gallery. Now I will pay attention on frames 🖼.

[@victoriaryan1509]

Fantastic! He made the gilding look so easy. So disappointed I couldn't get to the exhibition but I'm loving all the National Gallery videos

[@cindywilson6520]

I am literally dumbfounded I hope that's the correct terminology because you have totally blown my mind I have an old family portrait that I have coming and I have some chintzy little carving tools and I thought I'd come look to see some videos on how to carve maybe some ideas and some designs and then I stumbled across this video and I am so out of my element it's not even funny oh extraordinary work I believe those from the past would be quite impressed with what you have done! And then once I saw the paintings in the frames it truly was remarkable I even got a little choked up to be honest so many years so so many years I'm so thankful there are people like you who can respect and admire the beauty that does exist in this world I'm so thankful I stumbled across your video thank you so much for a beautiful experience.

[@shagunkapoor8954]

I love the National Galleries framing department!!

Titian would be proud! Great job National Gallery!

[@SW-lw6mt]

It's so nice to see such talented craftsmen at work. Amazing process and result, hope to visit the Gallery one day :)

[@TheBearAspirin]

I work at a modern art museum which makes my admiration for these just that much deeper.

[@SweetBerryWine3000]

This is the most wonderful video I've seen in forever. ❤️

[@artist2739]

Wonderful! Thanks for sharing. Beautiful work and fun to see their creation.

[@youtharmor]

Mind. Blown.

[@lucy-annpope5650]

So interesting to learn about this. Such talented people work behind the scenes at the gallery. Thank you for this special insight.

[@ameliarose6833]

They all have this childlike charm! a tad jealousy aside, what an amazing team.

[@letmetellyousomething123]

Remarkable. Just seeing such craftsmanship and eye for detail, and of course the sympathetic way the work is done to complement the extraordinary paintings is inspiring. It should echo everything we do in life.

[@simmy4434]

thats made me really understand why a painting become to impress to the people when they are watching it. the frame is absolutely made the painting shines more and more. if the painting match with frame. thanks for nice video. i wonder to work with this amazing Gallery.🥰🙏

[@patricialarenas6670]

Inspiring craftsmanship and dedication- wow!

[@piedwagtailrameau]

Wonderful presentation of the process of frame making!

[@geoffreykeane4072]

More videos like this please

[@nationalgallery]

Hi @Geoffrey Keane, thanks for watching! We have more behind-the-scenes videos that show the work of different departments, including Conservation and Scientific. Here is the link to our art restoration video playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJvVqmmghLiNfc0

[@JavierGonzalez-hq4je]

Que bello trabajo ♥️♥️♥️🎨🎨🎨si algún día puedo ir me moriría de la emoción de ver este trabajo que he amado desde hace más dela mitad de mi vida ..amo la pintura y porsupuesto este taller de enmarcado y talla.. que lindo. Gracias por compartir este video señores🙏😭😭. De verdad estoy emocionado. Gracias.

[@monicacallesarenales5865]

Great job, frames are essential in the contemplation of painting 😊

[@seanmegan1278]

Amazing from start to finish (on a tangent... a German, a Frenchman and an italian are bringing their knowledge and dedication to such wonderful work... just makes the absurdity of brexit extra obvious, doesn't it?)

[@essejd]

Such a beautiful art 🖼 Bravo 👏 💐

[@steveburley5041]

such a delight to watch .....terrific video!!!!!!!!! Congratulations to the team SB australia

[@lizzyg0816]

I often wonder who designed the elaborate frames for these famous paintings

[@marymcleod4042]

So interesting. Just waiting to see the exhibition for real.

[@robertblesse5108]

Wonderful video-thanks, so much!

[@DesignEcologies]

Thank you

[@nationalgallery]

Our pleasure, thank you for watching

[@robertedwards3654]

Question is - are we going to be able to see the exhibition??? Also - who pays for the framing? Will the frames stay with the paintings?

[@nationalgallery]

Hi @Robert Edwards, the exhibition is open from today, you can find more information on our website: www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/titian-love-desire-death The plan is for these frames to stay with the paintings after the exhibition. Thank you for watching!

[@sebastianiriarte3120]

I sure can’t tell u if the frames are staying with the paintings (although it would make sense considering they were made specifically for their dimensions and aesthetic). Since the National gets money from the government on behalf of the British people, the frames are payed by the taxpayers under the department of culture. However, the National also receives money from time to time via the memberships and visitors who wish to donate. That is why it is extremely useful for people to donate a few couple pounds or just become a member. They even create their own funding pages, like the one created to keep one of Artemisia’s paintings as part of the Gallery’s permanent collection

[@DaleDix]

@@sebastianiriarte3120 Shall we send you a certificate for knowing all that? But we must take marks off for not knowing the answers!

[@LauraDelColBrown]

If this is about to morph into a rant about The Taxpayers' Money (tm), let me just say that I'm a UK taxpayer and am very happy to contribute the 0.000001p from my tax bill that was probably spent on this work.

[@Nolanthegardener]

Absolutely magnificent! The paintings are nice too.

[@nationalgallery]

Hi @Nolan Friedline, glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Certified_Art_Teacher]

This is my dream job!! WOW!!

[@Fiorella-vc2wp]

Excellent work with that frames

[@charleswhitfield8915]

Did the pictures not have frames before? We’re they lost or unsuitable? The new ones look amazing and without the video you’d assume they were 200+ years old.

[@adlibruj]

So, my question would be. Were the paintings frameless before the exhibition?

[@grossmeisterblitzIII]

Beautiful. Great work.

[@sophiaangelique1926]

the frames are so prettttttyyyy

[@NancyMonizMondegro]

Thank you for sharing!

[@joshuaspieker_]

This might be a stretch... do you guys have a blueprint on how this frame was made? Dimensions? Also what kind of wood was used for underneath the poplar wood? Loved this video! The Craftsmanship is at the highest level!

[@ovh992]

But wouldn't the frames have been "bright and garish" when the paintings were originally framed hundreds of years ago? We restore paintings to bring them back to their original state but leave the frames dirty and faded. Gold frames were meant to sparkle in candlelight and yell "Look at me! Look at this painting!"

[@Stephen_Lafferty]

This amazing work was completed for exhibition just as lockdown started! Will it still be available to see in 2021 and beyond?

[@georgensal]

Great job, amazing results. But, what happened to the original frames? it's hard to believe that these important paintings didn't have a proper frame until now.....

[@elliottbest622]

Congratulations!!!

[@nikishin2012]

Oh great job! Thanks for this work and this video. Very interesting to know how much it cost for one frame...

[@LambentOrt]

Amazing

[@terradisiena]

What a wonderful video @TheNationalGallery. May I ask what you use to tone down the frame after burnishing?

[@gregorytrayling8969]

So say I was Titian, in the day, and someone commissions a work. Did they get the frame included? Did the artist select the frame or did the buyer then take it to a separate framer before hanging it?

[@bede1375]

How do you patina the gold to make it look old and "less garish," as you say?

[@ummherekittykitty6988]

❤

[@doc2kiwidig663]

My dream job.

[@josesd85]

Very beautiful work!! Could you please tell me the name of this soundtrack?

[@James-se4rg]

Just wondering what was used to stick the gold leaf down with, was it more rabbit skin glue?

[@nationalgallery]

Hi @Goth Mog. Great question! The surface is made slightly wet with water, which activates the glue present in the layers of white gesso and yellow and red bole that have been built up on the wooden frame. The gold sticks down to the water and glue. The next step is to wait for the surface to dry down, which can take a few hours, or overnight. Timing is important, because if the surface is left for too long, it becomes difficult to burnish. Thanks for watching!

[@James-se4rg]

@@nationalgallery sorry, if I can ask another question. What exactly is the red and yellow 'bowl/clay' colour. Is it clay? Paint? Why is it called a bowl?

[@nationalgallery]

Hi Goth Mog! The bole is made of a mixture of clay and rabbit skin glue. You may notice that the container for the bole is being kept in a bowl of water - this is because the mixture has to be kept warm or the glue will solidify. The colour of the clay can vary widely, from yellow and red to blue and purple. The word 'bole' basically just means 'clay' - it comes from the Latin 'bōlus'. Thank you for your question! :)

[@James-se4rg]

@@nationalgallery really interesting thank you, some good insights that might be helpful one day!

[@vlisdero]

How extraordinary this is! Amazing work. Congratulations to everyone involved!

[@sandrawheeler7831]

I think you can trust the interest of the audience enough to offer us much more detail and information. This is way too short. And, we don’t need background music. Thanks, tho, for this much!

[@babetteguhl5024]

….greetings from Germany….how „shiny“ where the original frames in fresh gold? They must have been competitive to the painting, too.

[@WillJBailey]

How did she age / break down the gold leaf? What paint was she using?

[@nikishin2012]

Looks like there is no glass or acrylic for Titian painting, right?!?

[@PHlophe]

Onkel Schade, we need a full tutorial , please . step by step and detailled. Please give back to the community

[@Frankowillo]

"Please give back to the community". Wow!! You are an ungrateful wretch! Are you even aware of what the National Gallery gives to the public?

[@ankitj3583]

Sir, why many of these old paintings have no glass panel??? I saw a video of louvre museum and I noticed the same. Please let me know the reason behind it. Doesnt it exposes the painting surface to direct dust , light etc????

[@juancarlosteixeira3045]

Someone knows if the frames are only used for the exhibition?

[@juliedawick1063]

Such impressive crafts(person)ship! Thank you to all the talented staff. I wanted to know what the old framing was like, and its origins - and are the paintings on loan, or part of the National Gallery's collection?

[@marcuscicero9587]

huge corner mitres, maybe 8-9inches. painstaking to get that right

[@a.anthonycapoccia6102]

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@alanlawrence2954]

'Pristine' is a word I use to describe The National Gallery. You see what the original artists wanted you to see, and it's all due to meticulous conservation.

[@proscriptus]

Do they not know about PPE?

[@nationalgallery]

Hi David, this was filmed between December 2019 and February 2020. Thanks

[@charlottereeve1013]

how can i make a frame

[@dorfmanjones]

I always find these wide elaborately gilded frames distracting. It's quite unnecessary.

[@IanZainea1990]

I 100% understand the reason for adding patina. But isn't it likely that when the pictures were first framed, the gold was bright and vibrant? And if the frame is to last for another 100 years, it will naturally gain a patina. As opposed to adding it now... I don't know. I think it's a bit of a shame. An adherence to a rigid idea of "preserving the past" ... but the longest lasting preservations are those that bring new life and vitality, so it can be appreciated and utilized for generations to come. If it hadn't been for those shop owners that built inside the Colosseum and kept it useful, it surely would have been destroyed centuries ago.

[@carlosreira413]

Cool frames. Titian is a bit of a yawn. Now Tintoretto, that was an artist.

[@SubTroppo]

Frames: yes, those paintings: no.

[@aliceleach4636]

Utterly beguiling

[@Vieen1810]

Great carving, splended work. Why doesn't the National gallery take children and teach them this trade in England? I am sure the National gallery will use my idea, I wonder if I shall receive credit for my 💡 idea???!!