ABSTRACT
The fixing of panel paintings into their frames has changed very little over the centuries until relatively recently; the traditional method has been to hold the panel securely against the frame rebate with nails. The shock of the blows to secure the nails often caused damage to the frame moulding and applied decoration, while damage to the reverse of the panel caused by the hammer is often observed. In the twenty-first century it is generally recognised that fixing methods are divided between those paintings that should be held rigidly in their frames and those that must allow some movement to reduce stress or tension within the structure of the panels. Panel paintings should be secured with fittings that can be easily fitted and removed without the risk of damage to the panel; brass plates, for example, resist corrosion and can be easily bent to accommodate the difference in levels between the reverse of the painting and the back of the frame. The brass plate might be covered with self-adhesive felt tape or a similar material
to cushion contact with the reverse of the painting. However, failure of adhesives over time might lead to the tape detaching with the subsequent loosening of the fitting. Other types of fitting include spring clips and custom-made plates created from sprung steel. With spring clips there is the risk of corrosion, and of too great a pressure being exerted on the painting, while the shaping of sprung steel requires special tools. Fixings that lock in place by, for example, having two screws in line rather than one, avoid the chance of fixings twisting loose during transport, either from shock or vibration.
