Left -
Example of part of the framing proposal made to the Mauritshuis by John Davies Framing Ltd. for the re-framing of the "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Vermeer.

The selection of frames was substantiated through "Framing in the Golden Age" - the 1984 exhibition and definitive thesis on Dutch Framing by Dr. Van Thiel of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

The excellent final choice of frame (No. 1) was made by Mr. Frits Du Parc - Director of the Mauritshuis.

The model is a copy of a Dutch mid-seventeenth century ebony combination profile frame with a delicate centre ripple bead.

The Times, June 1997
Enlargement of text in article

Three ways to see the same picture, thanks to John Davies' computer. Above left, collectors in the 18th and 19th centuries typically chose an unsuitable Neoclassic/Empire frame such as this to blend in with the architectural environment of the age rather than the mood of the painting. Above right in contrast, this early 17th-century, mid-European ebony cabinet frame projects the picture towards the viewer, then is itself framed in a series of architecutral cornice profiles. The scale makes a dramatic presentation. Right out of context, this 16th-century Spanish/Flemish Cassetta frame, and the picture it frames, may seem garish, but in a period environment, among tapestries, leather and gold, it works well.