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spanish Picture Frames

Find on this page reproduction of antique Spanish picture frames for sale. Customize Spanish style picture frames as you prefer. For instance, you can change the color of the lacquer and even the structure. Our Spanish wood picture frames for paintings fit very well with Baroque masters.

The 1600s has been for Spain the greatest era for its painters. Thus, the Spanish Baroque style stands out compared with other Spanish trends. To remember just a few of its main characters, we mention Velázquez and Ribera. Velázquez entered nowadays among the best painters ever existed. So, we now know the relevance of paintings to other visual arts.

As during the 17th century, Spanish art look after Italian artistic styles, it is quite easy to catch similarities between the two trends. The procedure to realize the frames was equal to the Italian procedure. The master carvers build the structure, decorated it with carvings, and give the frame to a master gilder. In many cases they were two separate disciplines, therefore carried out in different workshops.

spanish style picture frames traits

Spanish craftsmen made large use of lacquer. Above all, they used black, dark blue, and red lacquer. In the same way that green lacquer recalls Venetian frames, red paint brands instantly Spanish frames. Despite Spanish carvers look after the Baroque Italian style, they have very singular traits. Spanish wood picture frames have a carving much less detailed.

Firstly, the Spanish carvings tend to be bigger, with more space between their elements. Second, they occupied more space upon the structure of the frame, giving less relevance to the smooth surfaces. Of course, those just described, are very slight differences. Thus, not every eye can catch them right away.

There is not much to say about the gilding process. That’s usually a mere realization of a technique. For this reason, there isn’t much of a style involved. In other words, the tone of the gold leaf doesn’t change if compared to the Italian one. In short, the two main distinctive traits of Spanish picture frames are the red lacquer and the more rustic carving.

Naples & antique spanish frames

Baroque Italian movement significantly inspired Spanish carvers. The main region from where they got inspiration is for sure Naples. In fact, this town, like many others, was under the Spanish reign. On the one hand, Italian artists worked for the Spanish crown traveling a lot to Madrid, Sevilla, and Granada. On the other hand, Spanish craftsmen worked in Neaples picking up the character of Italian art.

As a result, the mix of different mastery gave birth to such a flourishing result. Of course, even Spanish carvers influenced quite a lot the Neapolitan craftsmanship. Indeed, the difference between Spanish wood picture frames and Neapolitans ones is slight.

For instance, look at our model cod. 109. The provenience of a frame like that could either be from Naples or Spain. Without a historical testimony it is not possible to trace its origins. In other words, it would be useless.