Louis XVI Neoclassical Gilt Wood Oval Frame – Ribbon Bow Crest & Velvet-Ground Figurative Medallion

Design & Inspiration

Hang this piece on any wall and the room reorganises itself around it. The ribbon bow at the crown — sculpted in the round, every loop and trailing end fully three-dimensional — announces the Louis XVI vocabulary immediately: neoclassical restraint married to aristocratic decorative wit. Below the bow, symmetrical garlands of olive branches descend to embrace a beaded oval inner frame, at the centre of which sits a rich burgundy velvet-ground resin plaque bearing a gilt figurative silhouette of an 18th-century courtier. This is not a frame that holds art; it is the art.

Materials & Craftsmanship

The outer structure is hand-carved solid pine, finished in a warm antiqued gold leaf that reads as both luminous and aged — exactly as period gilded boiserie would appear after two centuries. The resin medallion insert reproduces the visual character of a Wedgwood jasperware plaque or a wax-seal portrait miniature: a technique favoured by French cabinetmakers of the 1770s–1780s who incorporated cameo-style insets into secretaires and commodes. The beaded rim separating insert from frame replicates the pearl-string moulding ubiquitous in Louis XVI interior woodwork.

Dimensions & Details

Width: 30 cm / Height: 60 cm
The total height includes the projecting ribbon bow crest and the pendant drop finial at the base. The oval display field is proportionally centred within the frame. Intended for wall hanging; D-ring hardware or equivalent recommended.

Handcrafted in Egypt

Every element of this frame — the carving, the gilding, the resin medallion — is produced by hand in Egypt by artisans trained in classical European finishing techniques. Brass & Wood's Cairo workshops apply the same rigour to a 30 cm decorative frame as to a full salon suite: no cast resin shortcuts for the wood carving, no spray gilding where hand-burnishing is called for. The result is a piece that rewards close inspection.

Frequently Asked Questions

What materials is this frame made from?

The main structure is hand-carved solid pine with an antiqued gold leaf finish. The central decorative insert is a hand-finished resin medallion with a deep-red velvet-effect ground and a gilt figurative relief — no actual velvet fabric is used; the velvet appearance is achieved through the resin finish.

Is any assembly required?

No. The frame arrives fully assembled and ready to hang. We recommend using appropriate wall anchors suited to your wall type given the frame's decorative projection.

Can this frame be customised?

Yes. The velvet-ground colour of the medallion insert and the gilding tone (warm gold, silver, or champagne) can be adjusted to order. Contact Brass & Wood directly to discuss bespoke options before placing your order.