A Closer Look: Frames

Frames often catch the eye of visitors to galleries, yet labels and catalogues rarely comment on them. In this elegant survey, Nicholas Penny, the former Director of the National Gallery, conveys his interest om the history of frames, the design and techniques of frame-making, what frames do for paintings and the part they play in an interior. The emphasis is on their changing function as well as the different styles, materials, and techniques employed. This book is illustrated by frames from the National Gallery’s magnificent collection, which has some of the finest examples of the frame-maker’s craft, reflecting the taste of individual artists and collectors over the centuries. A Closer Look: Frames is one of eleven books in the A Closer Look series.

Nicholas Penny was the Director of the National Gallery from 2008 to 2015. 

• Paperback edition printed in 2010.
• Includes coloured illustrations. 
• Dimensions: 21cm x 15cm.