Matting aesthetics

[Randy Parrish CPF]

How do you handle matting margins on etchings, engravings and prints? It seems there is one line of thought that says to show the signature, edition numbers, titles, ect... and another view that says to cover it up and put a facsimile on the back for the owner.

 

[Kai Vanuffelen]

In my opinion, the signature, title and serialnumber are part of the artwork and written by the artist. As such it needs to be shown. Only rarely have I covered them up and that was at the request of the customer.
If there is a disproportionately large space of white at the bottom of the etching due to writing, then I may not have a weighted bottom.

 

[Robin Gentry MCPF]

Personally I like to see the etch mark, signature, title and number if it is there. But some times the client says cover it up so we do.

Not sure there is a hard and fast rule.

 

[Kai Vanuffelen]

Ah yes, that is called the platemark and can extend a bit from the actual picture. Then there can be an embossed stamp or a small pencildrawing underneath by the artist. This drawing has a name too.
Then the platemark and picture are not alway square and the bevel of the matboard does not run parallel to the picture. All sorts of things to take into consideration.

 

[John Barlowe]

On an engraving I would say yes definitely show the plate mark, signature and number.

On a run of the mill offset lithograph on print on demand giclee I say if it looks better mat over it. (don't trim that is a different subject) I know all of the arguments about artist intent and so forth. Let's face it though most of these modern giclee's are only decorative art and are not likely to ever become worth anything. Talk it over with your customer. What do they prefer? Now if it is a well known collected artist that is also a different story.

 

[Wally Fay CPF]

I'm with John, tough I'm a bit more militant about identification.
Prints are hand inked and pulled images of several varieties using either an intaglio press, a lithography press, or woodblocks. The defining attribute of a Print is there is no Original other than the plate, stone, or woodblock. All the rest are Reproductions and should be called such. Limited Edition Reproduction either by photo-mechanical Offset Lithography or digitally captured Inkjet printing is still a copy of an original, and as such are a phenomena of Marketing rather than the limiting of an edition of a Print to insure quality. When Reproductions are called prints it only serves to confuse the definitions.

To the point, the plate line, signature, and numbers should be visible in the framing of a Print. I am of mixed feelings about any watermark, chop, or stamp applied by the publisher, though they certainly should not be altered or removed.

 

[Randy Parrish CPF]

When Reproductions are called prints it only serves to confuse the definitions.

Thank You! And I agree with you about repro's, also the paper is so white, even the brightest white mats cannot come close to matching.

 

[Pat Kotnour]

On an engraving I would say yes definitely show the plate mark, signature and number.

On a run of the mill offset lithograph on print on demand giclee I say if it looks better mat over it. (don't trim that is a different subject) I know all of the arguments about artist intent and so forth. Let's face it though most of these modern giclee's are only decorative art and are not likely to ever become worth anything. Talk it over with your customer. What do they prefer? Now if it is a well known collected artist that is also a different story.

Any really good framer will do what is needed to enhance and draw the eyes to the picture. There can be no set rule to how to frame prints because every print is different and so are the customers tastes in framing. 1D LE numbered prints are a dime a dozen and unless they are very old are probably not all that valuable. Etchings and engravings are a horse of a different color. On one dimentional prints, limited and signed or not, I will always go for the framing that draws your eyes to the picture. No picture will look like a work of art with a white boarder around it. It may not be the original painting, but certainly will look more like it if only the artists image is showing. To me the white makes a picture look cheap.

 

[Jim Miller MCPF GCF]

I mat it as your photo shows, except maybe I would make the mat window a bit larger to show more of the paper beyond the plate mark.

There is a reason for this. Over time, exposure to light and possible chemical actions in the frame could cause a disparity of the art-papers color where it is visible, compared to the area under the mat window. The discoloration might occur even if the best board materials and UV-filtering glazing are used in the framing, because unanticipated chemicals can migrate into the frame, and visible light is harmful.

 

[Joe Weinbeck]

Randy, It appears you are showing a colored etching - that is totally different than the "Run of the Mill" 23,450 LE reproduction prints (well that number may be somewhat of an exaggeration) that some artist & print shops produce. The plate of the etching wears down so each etching is a little different. Printing, even giclee, are the same one after the other. I advise my customers to mat over the signatures because that white border in most cases just flat out doesn't look good. The signature is not going anywhere so with the signature covered the print is still going to be of the same value. I say show the art not the signatures. Joe

 

[David Hewitt MCPF]

Limited Editions can have all kinds of value. Some open editions have great value, some not, but may have in the future, who knows? (movie, circus posters, Or even news papers for example)
Editions with numbers and signatures outside of the image area, should be treated as the artist or publisher intended. Signed in the image area treat as intended.

As a framer for several major publishers, I can tell you that there are, hard and fast rules as to proper framing of this form of art reproduction.(ask anyone who paid excess of $10,000 for their opinion)

You are the professional, and should have a standard that you operate under. Educate your customer.
If in doubt make a copy and have at it. Oh but what about copyright, what ever do I do?

PS, We treat almost everything as if it were going in a time capsule, to be removed sometime in the future in prime condition.
Also the original intent of the Limited Edition has great merit, to bad that some producers of this art form got greedy with its proposed value.

 

[Joe Weinbeck]

Ok David, I'll bite. How do we know what the artist intended other than to make money off of his/her signature? Are you saying we should leave the border around a open edition print? news paper? Barnum & Bailey poster?

I believe in leaving the border on art visible only when that border is pleasing to the eye. In most cases that border, even with a signature & number is not pleasing to the eye, in fact it is quite the opposite and actually takes away from the beauty of the art. Again, by covering the signature doesn't make the value of the print less. With any framed art a good collector, auction house, or resale buyer is going to take the frame package apart to inspect it for the signature and defects before purchasing it or selling the it. They will find that signature if it is so important with that inspection so why shouldn't we cover it until then, it sure will help to preserve and protect it?

I still say, on most art, cover the border, signature, & number. When the border, signature, & number is pleasing leave it. Joe

 

[Jim Miller MCPF GCF]

Again, by covering the signature doesn't make the value of the print less.

Over time, exposure to light and possible chemical actions in the frame could cause a disparity of the art-papers color where it is visible, compared to the area under the mat window. The discoloration might occur even if the best board materials and UV-filtering glazing are used in the framing, because unanticipated chemicals can migrate into the frame, and visible light is harmful.

 

[David Hewitt MCPF]

" Are you saying we should leave the border around a open edition print? news paper? Barnum & Bailey poster? "

I was referring to unknown values, never said open edition.

Example of what I am referring to.

Trisha Romance (Artist-International Gallery Owner)

All of her editions are designed to have borders around image area. The edition size and print number are placed in the lower left side of bottom border ( she precisely places it in vertical line with image) She then gives the title of the image and places it center of bottom border. Her signature is then placed at the bottom borders right side.( again precisely ending in vertical line with image)

This is the design - this is the intent. And yes ,all borders are to be shown.

She also in her gallery's continues with frame design. Most all of her framing design is triple mat, v-grove, cc-glass, traditional complementary frame.

In my humble opinion, this is an artist creation done to perfection.

I would also like to note that we have framed for many artist galleries and their private collections, similar to above. One particular artist has framed AP-1/00? of every image that was ever reproduced, literally hundreds.

 

[Joe Weinbeck]

Over time, exposure to light and possible chemical actions in the frame could cause a disparity of the art-papers color where it is visible, compared to the area under the mat window. The discoloration might occur even if the best board materials and UV-filtering glazing are used in the framing, because unanticipated chemicals can migrate into the frame, and visible light is harmful.

Jim, I know what you are saying but what you haven't said is if the value is changed or not changed due to the discolorations. I have been buying and selling antique art for over 30 years and personally I haven't paid significantly less because of the disparity of color. I've paid less for acid burns from cardboard and wood backing, excessive foxing, rips in the paper, overall paper disintegration but I have come to expect, especially with antique art, the discolorations due to light and the other chemical actions. Of course the value will be less with these discrepancies than with a piece of art that is mint or close to mint but overall it doesn't overly reduce the value. I would rather purchase a piece of art that has a clean, clear, & concise signature over a piece of art that has a signature that is discolored and faded but that's just me. With some artist that I like to purchase I don't have any choice so but I have also been burned because I purchased pieces of art that was faded to the point that you could not positively identify as an original signature - in fact it happened to me recently with a $2000.00 Louis Icart etching - sure wish his signature wasn't so discolored and faded from sun bleaching and chemical actions with that purchase!!! I have a really nice $2000.00 Icart etching I will gladly sell extremely cheap....

David, I know exactly what you are saying and agree totally with you. It was confusing the way you stated it before with the remarks about the newspaper & circus posters.

What I'm talking about is the Les Kouba Wild Life print that have 3000 signed and numbered LE copies, or the Bev Doolittle that has 23,000 signed and numbered LE copies, then by all means cover the s & n with the mat if the customer want you to, in fact it looks better when you do. Of courser when you frame a Trisha Romance print or other like artist as you described, it would be a doing disservice to your customer and the artist by covering up signature and border. Luckily today more and more artist are signing the image instead of the border so it takes the decision making out of the picture.

It all boils down to exactly what you said, it is dependent upon the artist's intent. Some it is easy to determine what that intent is but with majority of the artist they sign just to make extra dollars at time of the sale and they could care less if their signatures are covered or not. IMO then cover the signature because in most cases it will look better. Joe

 

[Jim Miller MCPF GCF]

... what you haven't said is if the value is changed or not changed due to the discolorations.... Of course the value will be less with these discrepancies than with a piece of art that is mint or close to mint but overall it doesn't overly reduce the value.

When deterioration gets underway, it's only a matter of time until the value of the art diminishes. I would prefer to have all of the visible area deteriorate similarly, rather than emphasizing the deterioration of only the image.

Aside from our differing opinions about deterioration, I would prefer to see the provenance of the artwork in the display, rather than having to disassemble the frame to see it.

 

[Pat Kotnour]

Randy, It appears you are showing a colored etching - that is totally different than the "Run of the Mill" 23,450 LE reproduction prints (well that number may be somewhat of an exaggeration) that some artist & print shops produce. The plate of the etching wears down so each etching is a little different. Printing, even giclee, are the same one after the other. I advise my customers to mat over the signatures because that white border in most cases just flat out doesn't look good. The signature is not going anywhere so with the signature covered the print is still going to be of the same value. I say show the art not the signatures. Joe

I totally agree. The art should always be the most important when designing.

 

[Joe Weinbeck]

Aside from our differing opinions about deterioration, I would prefer to see the provenance of the artwork in the display, rather than having to disassemble the frame to see it.

Jim, Getting off the subject at hand I have to agree with you totally about seeing the provenance. I generally purchase vintage/antique art and in more cases than not there is no provenance so a visual inspection of the art itself is necessary. Of course that means opening the package for inspection. Even with appraisals and certifications visual inspection is always best to do because all that stuff can be exaggerated to put it nicely. Joe

 

[Adela Davis MCPF]

In my opinion, the signature, title and serialnumber are part of the artwork and written by the artist. As such it needs to be shown. Only rarely have I covered them up and that was at the request of the customer.
If there is a disproportionately large space of white at the bottom of the etching due to writing, then I may not have a weighted bottom.

I agree Kai, the plate line, in my humble opinion, adds to the 'original' character of that numbered print.
In print making (etching), it takes a skilled printer for all the edition to look the same. Sometimes, there may be a slight
difference from print to pulled print which adds to the uniqueness; show all of that: plate line, signature and number of the edition!

 

[Joe Weinbeck]

I agree Kai, the plate line, in my humble opinion, adds to the 'original' character of that numbered print.
In print making (etching), it takes a skilled printer for all the edition to look the same. Sometimes, there may be a slight
difference from print to pulled print which adds to the uniqueness; show all of that: plate line, signature and number of the edition!

I agree with you when it comes to original etchings, original wood block prints, and I extend the originality issue to most hand tinted prints - all are different. I have been saying that all along.

I'm going to go a little further - if it make the framer and the customer happy leave the white border - go ahead and be happy. We all have our ways of doing something - non of us are wrong, we just have different ideas about what looks right. As long as you aren't changing the character of the print in any way do what you want. I think that pretty much takes care of this Thread...eace: