How Your Artwork Will Arrive

When you purchase an Aboriginal painting from Mbantua Gallery, it will typically be carefully rolled and shipped in a sturdy mailing tube to ensure it arrives safely. If you prefer, you can choose to have your artwork professionally stretched onto a custom-made timber stretcher frame before it is dispatched, allowing it to arrive ready to hang and enjoy.

Rolling paintings for transport is the safest and most widely accepted method of shipping canvas artworks, helping to protect them during their journey from Central Australia to your home.

What Is Stretching?

Unlike traditional framing, Aboriginal paintings are commonly displayed on stretcher frames without an external frame. This allows the entire artwork to be appreciated, right to the painted edges, while providing a clean, contemporary presentation that's ready to hang.

If you prefer, a decorative external frame can always be added later by your local framer to complement your home or collection.

Professional Stretching Service

Every stretcher frame is custom made to perfectly fit your artwork, ensuring a professional finish that's ready to display as soon as it arrives. It's also a wonderful option if you're purchasing a painting as a gift, allowing the recipient to immediately hang and enjoy their new artwork.

For many paintings on our website, you'll have the option to select professional stretching before checkout. For larger artworks, we generally recommend shipping them unstretched, as this provides the safest method of transport and significantly reduces the risk of damage during transit. If you would still prefer to have a larger painting stretched before shipping, please contact us and we'll be happy to discuss the available options and provide a custom quote.

Stretching Prices

The table below outlines our stretching prices by painting size. These prices include shipping anywhere within Australia. For international orders, any additional shipping costs for stretched paintings will be calculated automatically at checkout based on the size of the artwork and its destination.