Frames and supports in 15th and 16th-century Southern Netherlandish painting

DEVELOPMENT OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES 135 · Mortise and tenon joints, fully mitred on both faces (fig. 19: 5 ) We found this variant in 3 cases: Bruges, GM , no. 3 (Master of the Princely Portraits, Portrait of Louis de Gruuthuse ); Bruges, SJH , no. 1 (Hans Memling, The St John Altarpiece ); Bruges, OLPM , no. 11 (Pieter Claeissens the Younger, Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van het Boompje ). These mortise and tenon joints mitred on both faces are found on the Memling works preserved in the St John’s Hospital in Bruges, with the exception of the Floreins Triptych (Bruges, SJH , no. 2 ). The version with “floating” (i.e. cut square cut on the back) is structurally stronger. In the St John Altarpiece (Bruges, SJH , no. 1 ), square cutting at the back of the joint is adopted for the central panel only, while the wings have full mitres on both faces, which is a better solution for a frame that will be seen on both sides. In the case of the painting of the Master of the Guild of St George (Antwerp, RMFA , no. 6 ), it has not been possible to identify this joint with certainty. The mortise and tenon joint mitred on both faces continues to exist in only one rare case in the early 17th century (Bruges, OLPM , no. 11 ). 2. Half-dovetail joints; the Brussels joiners’ mark · Half-dovetail joint, mitred at the front, cut square on the reverse (fig. 19: 12 ; fig. 23 ) In 10 cases we found half-dovetail joints: Bruges, GS , no. 1 (Master of the St Catherine Legend, Triptych of the Last Supper ); Brussels, PWC , no. 1 (follower of Rogier van der Weyden, Triptych of the Virgin and Child ); Brussels, RMFAB , no. 4 (follower of Hugo van der Goes, Virgin and Child ); Antwerp, MVB , no. 1 (follower of Rogier van der Weyden, Virgin and Child ); Tournai, MFA , no. 2 (attributed to Goossen van der Weyden, Triptych of the Virgin and Child ); Bruges, GM , no. 4 (Brussels Anonymous, Man of Sorrows and Mater Dolorosa ); Bruges, SJH , no. 8 (entourage of Dirk Bouts, The Supper at Simon’s House ); Bruges, OLPM , no. 3 (Anonymous, Triptych of the Adoration of the Magi ); Brussels, RMFAB , no. 22 (follower of Bernard van Orley, Triptych of the Adoration of the Magi ); Antwerp, MVB, no. 17 (Marcellus Coffermans, Enthroned Virgin and Child with Musician Angels ).