Woods like poplar, spruce and pine were used for framing. If the frame was to be carved, then basswood was the choice for complex carving and poplar for simpler frames. All of these woods were suitable for gilding. To frame a painting in this style, choose a frame that's carved or inlaid with stone if you are using dark wood. Carving the frame and gilding the wood--covering it with gold leaf--can make the frame a piece of art suitable for hanging on its own.
This type of frame is carved to fit a specific painting or panel. The frame is essentially an extension of the artwork. The earliest tabernacle frames were carved around the paintings. This type of frame is suitable for pieces that have multiple panels or parts. Your frame should be carved and the paintings inserted into spaces created for them. Paintings framed in this manner tell the viewer a story and during the Renaissance were used almost exclusively for religious expressions.
This framing technique, named after Jacopo Sansovino, was perfected in the 16th century. These frames are notable for their carved spirals, rosettes and small, intricately carved heads that adorn the outside of the frame. Gilding of the ornately carved frames made them very popular in Venice in the time of the Renaissance.