How do I hang a heavy relief panel?

Heavy panels require secure wall anchor fixings matched to the weight of the timber and gesso construction. Mount the piece using a suitable French cleat or direct screw fixings into wall studs. Avoid hanging panels in rooms with high humidity or direct sunlight to protect the aged wood and sensitive polychrome paint layers.

Are these panels from old buildings?

Many examples originate as architectural salvage, including over-doors, boiserie sections, and cart fragments removed from historic properties. Others were created specifically as independent wall art, plaques, or decorative mirrors. Examining the reverse of the panel often reveals joint methods and tool marks that indicate its original structural context.

How do I date a carved wooden panel?

Dating relies on the style of the carving, the species of timber, and the composition of the paint or gesso layers. Eighteenth-century pieces frequently show Baroque or Rococo asymmetry, while nineteenth-century works display revival motifs. Tool marks left by hand chisels versus mechanical saws also help establish the manufacturing period of the wood.