Thomas Lawrence and picture framing

These pages on the portrait painter Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830), President of the Royal Academy, examine his approach to picture framing. They were produced on the occasion of the exhibition, Thomas Lawrence: Regency Power and Brilliance, at the National Portrait Gallery, London, and the Yale Center for British Art, New Haven, in 2010-11. They include examples both from the exhibition and from the National Portrait Gallery collection. See also the pages on Thomas Lawrence’s studios and studio practice.

It is hoped to develop this study further. Please provide feedback to Jacob Simon at [email protected].

Contents

1. Lawrence and Regency taste

2. Lawrence’s approach to picture framing

- Carlo Maratta frames
- French influence
- Surface pattern
- The Morant frame
- Lawrence's views on framing

3. Lawrence’s framemakers

- William Adair
- Thomas and James Byfield
- Michael Tijou
- George Morant
- Other makers

4. Lawrence’s influence on picture framing

Sources and works cited in brief

This text draws heavily on previous work by the author, Jacob Simon, namely the book, The Art of the Picture Frame (1996) and the directory British picture framemakers.

Farington: K. Cave, K. Garlick and A. MacIntyre (eds), The Diary of Joseph Farington, 16 vols, 1978-84
Simon 1996: Jacob Simon, The Art of the Picture Frame: Artists, Patrons and the Framing of Portraits in Britain, 1996
Williams 1831: D.E. Williams, Life and Correspondence of Sir Thomas Lawrence, Kt, 2 vols, 1831