Frames in the Royal Collection
A guide to the history of frames in the Royal Collection
Glossary
A list of terms that are used when discussing frames:
| Acanthus | Stylised classical leaf form |
| Agate | Silica-based stone |
| Applied ornament | Ornament that is not carved into the timbers of the frame |
| Arabesque | Scrolling and interlacing pattern, often with foliage |
| Back edge | Outside bottom edge of the frame |
| Bole | Coloured clay used as pigment |
| Bolection | Raised moulding with the high point towards the front or middle. |
| Burnished | Polished by rubbing |
| Cartouche | Stylised shield, or frame, often with scrolling surround |
| Compo | Abbreviation of composition |
| Dentil | Repeating small block pattern |
| Drops | Ornament that has the appearance of hanging vertically |
| Egg-and-dart | Repeating ornament of ovals and points |
| Gadroon | A series of raised convex curves |
| Gesso | A ground made from animal glue and bulked with chalk or plaster |
| Glazing | Protective glass in the frame |
| Hazzled | Continuous zig-zagging groove cut in gesso |
| Husk | Stylised outer shell of a seed |
| Knull | Highest point, or top edge of a frame |
| Leaf-and-tongue | Repeating ornament of leaves, often acanthus, followed by a plain 'tongue' |
| Member | One side of the frame, be it top, left, right or bottom |
| Mitre | A corner joined together at a diagonal angle |
| Ogee | An 'S' shaped curved |
| Pressing | A moulding pressed from a cast |
| Raffle leaf | Reverse section frame with acanthus-and-tongue |
| Ribbon-and-stick | Ornament with the appearance of a ribbon wrapped around a central rod |
| Rosin | Also known as colophony, a resin made from pine |
| Scoop | Hollow area on the front of the frame |
| Sight edge | Front edge of a frame, from where the picture is visible |
| Size | An adhesive used to bind one material to another |
| Surmount | Ornament that has is top on the frame, often the top centre |
| Trophy | Carved elements of a symbolic nature connected to the painting's subject |
