This booklet accompanies the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement’s ongoing exhibition devoted to the artistry of American frame design from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Drawn from the Two Red Roses Foundation collection, the installation presents over 40 exceptional frames, many paired with period paintings, illustrating the evolution of frame-making from the Aesthetic Movement through the height of the Arts and Crafts era.
Featured makers include Newcomb-Macklin, Stanford White, Charles Prendergast, and frames from the workshops of leading artists such as Herman Dudley Murphy. The exhibition reveals how frames were conceived not merely as protective borders but as integral design elements, harmonizing with the artwork and reflecting contemporary architectural and decorative trends.
The booklet documents distinctive frame styles, including carved and gilded surfaces, hand-painted panels, and designs influenced by Mission, Prairie School, and Art Nouveau aesthetics. Detailed photography highlights craftsmanship, joinery, and surface treatments, while contextual essays explore the relationship between painters, frame makers, and the broader decorative arts.
Serving as both a gallery guide and a reference for collectors and scholars, the publication underscores the frame’s role as a significant art form in its own right, integral to the presentation and preservation of American painting.
