Founded in 1683, the Ashmolean Museum is the art and archaeology museum of the University of Oxford. Renowned worldwide, it houses collections spanning several centuries, from Egyptian mummies to contemporary art, and preserves a remarkable collection of Italian Renaissance paintings. In 2025, the Fondation Etrillard supported the reframing of three major works held at the Ashmolean Museum, highlighting these 15th-century paintings while respecting their historical and artistic integrity.
This re-framing project concerns three paintings from the museum’s collections: Saint Jerome reading in a landscape and The Virgin and Child by Giovanni Bellini (c. 1436–1516), a major Florentine painter of the late 15th century who was Michelangelo’s teacher, as well as Portrait of a Young Man by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449–1494), Venetian artist and son of the painter Jacopo Ghirlandaio.
Saint Jerome reading in a landscape & Portrait of a Young Man by Domenico Ghirlandaio, before their reframing
For the painting depicting Saint Jerome reading in a landscape, the museum has removed the tabernacle frame in which it was displayed — a historically inappropriate frame that was ill-suited to the work. It has been replaced with a new frame, which better highlights the subtlety of the painting and the richness of its detail, whilst paying greater respect to the painting’s original context.
This tabernacle frame was subsequently reused to frame Bellini’s Virgin and Child. This choice is based on historical logic: this type of frame was indeed commonly used for devotional images depicting Mary and the Infant Jesus, the Virgin being symbolically associated with the ‘tabernacle’ of Christ. Beyond its theological and historical relevance, this frame also offers a particularly harmonious visual presence.
Finally, the Venetian-style imitation frame of Ghirlandaio’s Portrait of a Young Man has been removed to reveal its original frame, which is extremely rare. This restoration allows the work to be presented in a state as close as possible to its original conception. The Ashmolean thus becomes one of the few institutions in the world to exhibit a 15th-century Italian portrait in its original frame.
Saint Jerome Reading in a Landscape & The Virgin and Child by Giovanni Bellini (c. 1436–1516), following their reframing
This project required the expertise of both internal and external professionals: curators, technicians, fitters and carpenters. Although most of the work was carried out in-house, the museum enlisted the professional services of Peter Schade, a world-renowned framer and woodcarver and head of the framing department at the National Gallery, to create the new frame for Bellini’s painting.
© Ashmolean Museum
The Fondation Etrillard's commitment to the historical integrity of heritage resonates with the Ashmolean Museum’s mission, which aims to present works of art in the most appropriate and meaningful context possible. By working together, the two institutions ensure that Renaissance masterpieces are displayed in accordance with their creators’ intentions, enabling the public to fully appreciate their artistic and historical significance. This partnership not only helps to preserve the integrity of these works, but also enriches the understanding of Renaissance art for future generations.
© Peter Schade