Where (and how) to frame this?

[ShiroKuro]

We have this calligraphy (that we received as a wedding gift 27 years ago!) and I have been meaning to get it framed but didn't know where we would put it. Well, now I have a plan! I want to put it in the living room where we have an expanse of empty wall. But the last time I did any custom framing was in a different state.

Here is the calligraphy, it's from a Buddhist sutra, it says 和顔　愛語 (calm face, loving words).

PostImages is being weird, it should display, or if not you can click on it, but just in case, here's the direct image link:
https://i.postimg.cc/J4b4gNQw/IMG-5398.jpg

(it's in a plastic wrapper at the moment, that would be removed. But the crease in the middle will stay, it's a particular kind of Japanese calligraphy board that has a fold in the center and can set up standing, which is how we had it displayed many houses back).

So, if you were going to do custom framing, would you go to a chain, like Michaels? I think that's actually where we had the pieces below framed. The watercolor in the same room (different wall), the set of three is around the corner.

watercolor

set of three prints

So it makes sense to me to use the same kind of framing, simple mat and black frame. (and anti-reflective glass, which is my favorite thing to do for prints, it looks so good!)

But maybe it should have a double mat? A line of gold or red?? The calligraphy board has a very thin line of gold around the edges.

And it's 19" by 11", so framed it will be fairly large.

Our artistic friends, @jodi @kluurs @bernard and anyone else with a good eye for this sort of thing, any thoughts?

TIA!

[Bernard]

I can't see any of the images and postimage hangs up.

[ShiroKuro]

@bernard Sorry! I've used postimage for years with no problems, but lately it seems buggy.

Can you see the direct links? You'll have to click.

The calligraphy:
https://i.postimg.cc/J4b4gNQw/IMG-5398.jpg

the watercolor
https://i.postimg.cc/d1rc8Qfd/D2911221-88D3-4FEB-8344-A40AC17A7911.jpg

the three piece set
https://i.postimg.cc/vThwdVj5/4-Print-trio.jpg

[Mik]

Yeah, a little dress up would be appropriate. I’d make it different than that group of three. In groupings you want an odd number and it really doesn’t fit in with them so much.

[ShiroKuro]

@Mik I assume you mean the frame style should be different? Even though the calligraphy won’t be in the same room as the three piece?

[Bernard]

@ShiroKuro I see them now SK.

A plain black frame, like you have on the other art works, no mat.

[ShiroKuro]

@Bernard said:

@ShiroKuro I see them now SK.

A plain black frame, like you have on the other art works, no mat.

Black frame, no mat and then the calligraphy board?

I worry that the little gold trim would get lost like that. Hmmm…

Also I would love for the total piece to be four inches wider (which is what I guess would be added with a standard 2” mat) because the place I want to put it is rather empty. And just frame without mat wouldn’t have the size bump.

[Mik]

You could use the same frame. I just like the idea of pulling out the red a bit and red/gold combos work well.

[ShiroKuro]

@Mik yeah, I was wondering about bringing out the red or gold.

Also our walls are a cram color, not as yellow as they might seem in the photos, but between the white of the calligraphy and the cream walls, it’s a lot of bland-ness.

I’ll try to share a photo of the wall space tmrw.

[wtg]

Bunch of images of framed Japanese calligraphy.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=framed+japanese+calligraphy&t=brave&ia=images&iax=images

Edit: I actually kind of like how the piece looks on the wood table you have it on. Would it be possible to have it mounted on a piece of beautiful wood somehow? Not a typical frame and no glass.

[Bernard]

@ShiroKuro Oh, I didn't realize there was a gold border. A mat would cover that up. Maybe mount it on a background with a plain black frame?