Lithophanes – An Illuminating Design
Sometimes a project walks through our doors that requires all of our creativity and brain power. Redesigning the displays for this collection of lithophanes was one such project. All the work that went into the design meant that seeing the beautiful finished product installed in their new space up on the client’s wall was even more rewarding than usual!
The original display was hand built by the client’s father, the original collector of the lithophanes, and while it got the job done, it was time to update the design. With the chosen wall space in mind, our team worked with the client and designer, Rebecca Penno, to create a display that both honors the artwork and fits perfectly into the room. Enter design challenge number one. With so many shapes and sizes the first job was layout. With that settled, each individual pane needed a way to stand its own and not get lost within the matting. The solution: more frames! Each lithophane got its own gold frame within the outer, complementary frame, which allowed us to mount them securely and define even the smallest of the panes.
Design challenge number two came in the form of a couple trapezoidal lithophanes. Most frames are made with all 90 degree angles. Through a lot of measuring and math, with which I will not bore you here, our design and production teams worked together to fit these odd shapes and settle them, along with the others, into the new design.
I’ve talked a lot about lithophanes but what exactly are they? Lithophanes are made by etching a design onto a thin, translucent material, in this case porcelain. When lit from the front, the porcelain hints at only the slightest details and looks similar to a shallow relief. However, when lit from behind the detailed figures and scenes are revealed. This presented design challenge number three. Generally when a piece of art is framed, it is mounted against an acid-free backing, sealed up with a dust cover, and placed against a wall which doesn’t let in anywhere near enough light to illuminate the art! The solution: a custom built LED light box for each frame. The light boxes and diffuser sheets disperse an even glow throughout the entire frame, allowing each lithophane to be viewed at their full potential.
With a new layout, frames, and their own custom light boxes this refreshed collection was ready for its new home! Alongside an electrician, we installed the two pieces on either side of these French doors where they can illuminate the special scenes within!
