On this date, Oct. 25, in 1881, Pablo Picasso was born in the town of Malaga in southern Spain. Today, thousands of miles away in the midwestern United States, a Picasso print will still be impressing admirers for many of the legendary Spanish artist’s birthdays to come, thanks to the protection and attention-to-detail delivered by a custom framing shop in Michigan City, Indiana.

 

 

The Moment

 

At SFC Gallery, owned by Ryan Wanke, a regular customer brought in a bichromie Picasso print that he had recently purchased at an art action. The print, depicting Picasso’s interpretation of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, was something that the customer wanted framed for the best possible presentation with the highest-quality materials.

 

 

“The customer asked specifically for conservation-grade materials to not only protect the art, but also have a classic look,” explains Kristina Knowski, a designer with SFC Gallery, who framed the Picasso project.

 

 

The Design

 

Kristina recalls that the customer was very open to mat and frame suggestions for the Picasso print, but had a silver frame in mind when he first walked in.

 

 

“Since he specifically requested a silver frame for this piece, we spent a lot of time trying to find the ideal frame color, shape and size,” she says. “We landed on Larson-Juhl’s Salon 1789 Collection, and I loved how the repetition of the ribbing detail matched the “ribs” of Christ in the image. It’s a subtle note but I love how it paid off!”

 

 

Kristina says she wanted to add a neutral-color bottom mat that matched the color of the paper, “since the work was coming so close to the edge of the paper, not allowing a lot of space for the mat to cover. Adding the bottom mat helped give the work some space and avoid tangents with the top, gray mat.”

 

 

Using Crescent Cardboard Co., LLC’s Rag mats, Kristina was able to find the best neutral color palette to complement the print and provide the best design for the client. To deliver superior glazing for the presentation and protection of customer’s prized print, she recommended Tru Vue® Museum Glass®.

 

 

“It was easy to suggest the use of Museum Glass for this customer as he wanted the peace of mind knowing that his artwork was protected with the best possible glass,” Kristina says. “He was happy to know about the 99% UV protection that Museum Glass offers, but was also impressed with the clarity and significantly reduced glare that Museum Glass is famous for.”

 

 

The Results

 

The print of a famous artist’s work glazed with famous Museum Glass will now bring the artwork and Kristina’s framing design to life for generations to come.

 

 

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