William Keith (California, 1838 – 1911), “Lady with a Hat.”

Ca. 1884. Oil on canvas 14″ x 17″. Framed in Compound Mitered frame No. 503 + Cap 821 (3-1/4″ total width) in stained quartersawn white oak compound frame with flat 22 kt gold leafed oak liner.

Before re-framing

Before re-framing

Keith was most famous for his landscapes, but the St Mary’s collection includes a number of portraits as well. I like to use ogee profiles (“s” in section) for figurative work. The double bead cap moulding added the necessary definition and refinement. You can see how much more suitable the dark frame is than the frame it arrived in (right), especially given the dark background.

For William Keith Art Collection at the St Mary’s Art Museum, St Mary’s College, Moraga, California.

Learn more about William Keith here, and more here…