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

288 Notices The notices contain the following information: current location, brief identification (attribution, subject, dating), inventory number, provenance, bibliography (limited to material relating specifically to the support), and, where available, the results of dendrochronological examination. This is followed by a description of the panel, the frame (joints, closing system, other fittings) and polychromy. For articulated works, the order followed for the description is, ideally: closed, open. This order corresponds to the medieval concept, expressed in the progression of the narrative and the crescendo of the polychromies or other devices, as described in the chapter on hinged and other articulated works. This order is also given preference for photographs and diagrams. For various reasons described elsewhere, it was not always possible to follow this order. The photographs of the works then follow, together at times with one or the other detail. For practical reasons the photograph of the reverse of the central panel of a triptych is often placed alongside that of the closed triptych. Each notice includes in principle three (sometimes two) groups of diagrams (measurements are in cm): - the joinery of the front of the works is shown from a slightly raised perspective so as display the upper sides, and of the reverse from a lower perspective to display the bottom sides. The characteristic elements of the panels are shown on the diagrams of the reverse. In some cases, access to the reverse was limited, and the width of the boards has been measured and shown on the front. - to facilitate understanding of the construction of the frames, prototypes of the joints are shown in small circles, cross-referenced to the frame. A frame can contain several types of joints, depicted in different circles in which the prototypes can be slightly different in design or pegging. - a (set of) diagram(s) reproduces the cross-section(s) of the frame members, along with any polychromies: a thick black line tells us that this part of the frame was painted black, double lines evoke gilding, and partially filled double lines another colour or marbling. The polychromies include non-original ones where these appear to reproduce the original polychromies. In several redone black and gold polychromies, the black today covers a greater part of the frame than was originally the case, for reasons of convenience, economy, and even stylistic evolution.