Thomas Hill (1829-1908), “Figures on a Horse-Drawn Sledge…”

N.d. Oil on canvas, 36″ x 60″. Framed in hand carved Cassetta, 6″ wide profile, in quartersawn white oak (Medieval Oak stain) with gilt oak liner.

Corner detail, echoing shrubs in the painting

Corner detail, echoing shrubs in the painting

A wonderful painting, and wonderful pleasure and honor to frame it! The size and power of this piece allowed me to pull out the stops on a frame design that offered full-throated praise of the painting without fear of overwhelming it. The carving pattern (see detail shots below) is drawn from life, depicting that phase when shrub branches sprout new leaves while the decaying old ones still cling to their support (detail at right). Dark quartersawn white oak in a burnt umber stain surrounds the painting in quiet shadow and is suitably rustic in feeling—an ideal window on Hill’s vision of the survival of the human spirit through the winter.

More low relief naturalistic carving like this can be seen on my specialty mirrors…

Read more and see more images on this blog post…

More on Thomas Hill…