Sotheby’s selected Eli Wilner to create a frame for the exhibition of an important painting by the 18th century French artist Carle Vanloo, “Premier Peintre” to Louis XV. Entitled Allegory of Painting, the picture was consigned by the estate of Eleanor Sonnenberg. The Wilner team first presented a summary of the frames exhibited on works by Vanloo in major museum collections worldwide. Then, upon careful assessment of the aesthetic qualities of the painting, they selected an ornate 18th century French frame in their collection that would be precisely replicated for the painting by the skilled craftspeople in their New York City frame restoration studio. Wilner craftspeople not only replicated the appearance of the original frame, but also the methods used to create it. First, lengths of wood were selected and a drawing was prepared. Then the entire surface was carved by hand, alongside the

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