FAMAG 1000.8
A nineteenth-century Continental scotia frame; fillet at top edge; scotia; ogee to sight; finished in matt and burnished water-gilding; supplied by Paul Mitchell Limited.
About this work
view without frame
Spencer, Richard Barnett (active 1840-1874): A Ship of the Line Entering Malta, oil on canvas, 22.9 x 33 cms. Presented by De Pass, Alfred A.
More information about the frame
This frame is in the Neoclassical-revival style; simple and monumental, its scale is paradoxically suited to small-scale paintings like this one, where the width of the moulding can confer authority and help to focus attention on the image. Since the painting is packed with objects, action and climatic effects, and is extremely busy for a seascape, the austere plainness of the frames is a particularly successful foil.
About the Artist
Very little is known about the artist R. B. Spencer. He is known for his portraits of ships. It is thought that he is the brother of William Barnett Spencer who painted the same subject. Both artists also painted sea battles copied from other artist's engravings in their own style.