Illuminated Initials- Boxed or Framed

My Illuminated Initials are crafted in the tradition of the Medieval scribes and the manuscripts they hand-lettered and painted. Each initial I create is painted with gouache pigments and gilded with 22k gold leaf on a raised bed of true gesso. The colorful designs and letters sit on a piece of prepared vellum (rustic goatskin) which I have stretched over a wooden support. The frames and boxes are hand-made by me from hard wood with a painted vinegar-grained texture and a final coat of polyurethane. They are ready to be hung on a wall or displayed on a flat surface.