When framing a picture, the size of the image doesn’t necessarily dictate the size of the frame. Some people purposefully choose frames that are much larger than the painting, print of photograph that they’re framing. The space between the frame and the image is filled with a mat board. Often, a picture can be over-matted, meaning that the size of the mat is far larger than the actual field of the picture. Over-matting and large frames serve several purposes. First of all, they give the image more weight and importance. Second, a large mat allows the picture to be more easily viewed and appreciated without interference from the frame. Placing a picture in a what seems to be a too-large frame creates a sense of drama between the image and the negative space of the mat.
I chose to frame this engraving by E.M. Ward (husband of
Henrietta Ward and father of
Sir Leslie Ward) in an over-sized antique frame with a double mat. I thought that this important engraving deserved the weight and drama of a large frame. The mat also helps the image be seen more clearly. If you’re going to over-mat an image, I would suggest using a neutral mat in black or white that will not interfere with the colors and patterns in the artwork, but instead serve to enhance them.
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