The White House Selected Frames

One of our most important projects is the framing of twenty-eight paintings for The White House, including artworks by Martin Johnson Heade, Worthington Whittredge, William Merritt Chase, John Singer Sargent, Severin Roesen and a painting by Childe Hassam that hangs in the Oval Office.

It all started with the Childe Hassam painting that hangs in the Oval Office. You frequently see photos of the President near the painting. We proceeded to create an additional 28 frames which were paid for by The White House. The curator who was in charge at the time was Betty Monkman, who has since retired. Mr. Wilner traveled to the White House frequently during this time period. It was one of the great honors of Mr. Wilner and the company to be able to create these frames. The paintings had been given to the White House during the Kennedy Administration, but had been framed inappropriately in French-style reproduction frames. We re-created frames from the correct period for each painting.


Albert Bierstad - Storm Clouds painting with French-style reproduction frame

Albert Bierstadt

Storm Clouds

Alfred Bricher - Castle Rock, Nahant, Massachusetts painting with French-style reproduction frame

Alfred Bricher

Castle Rock, Nahant, Massachusetts



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The Metropolitan Museum of Art Selected Frames

Washington Crossing the Delaware
by Emmanuel Leutze at The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Eli Wilner & Company created a hand-carved and gilded replica of the lost original frame for Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze. This frame is the focal point of the renovated American Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The frame's opening size is over 12 x 21 feet, and is surmounted by an elaborate construction twelve feet across displaying an eagle, flags, pikes, a banner and other regalia.

View Washington Crossing the Delaware feature
Frame containing Mary Cassatt's painting, Lydia Crocheting

Mary Cassatt

Lydia Crocheting



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Sotheby'sSelected Frames

Period frame re-creation, shaped and painted with gilding surrounding a Modigliani painting, Nu Assis Sur un Divan

Nu Assis Sur un Divan
by Modigliani

Modigliani Nu Assis Sur un Divan, oil on canvas, sold at Sotheby’s New York on November 9, 2010 for $69,000,000. Period frame re-creation by Eli Wilner & Company, shaped and painted with gilding.



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Christie'sSelected Frames

Picasso's Nude, Green Leaves and Bust with replica frame

Nude, Green Leaves and Bust
by Pablo Picasso

Sold at Christie's on May 6, 2010 for $106,000,000

When this historic painting was sold in New York in 2010, we were approached by Christie's with the request that a more appropriate frame be created for the painting to prepare it for their sale.

Christie's supplied us with the attached historical photograph showing the frame that was originally used on the painting in the 1932 Georges Petit exhibition, curated by Picasso himself. By the time the painting reached Christie's, this frame had been lost.

From our collection of over 3600 frames, a frame closely matching this photograph was found, and a handcrafted replica was created to fit the painting, returning it to the appearance that the artist had originally intended.



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