How a Louis Hubbard Grimshaw Print Travels to You

Flat or rolled depends on what was bought, not on the artist. Framed editions travel rigid and boxed, canvas editions travel rolled. The packaging logic behind each.

Auvrique Editorial · Fine Art Editions

The short answer

It depends on the format. A framed Grimshaw print ships flat, packed rigid in a protective box so the glass and frame cannot flex in transit. An unframed canvas print ships rolled in a sturdy tube, which is safer for a flexible surface. Either way the print should arrive undamaged, and transit damage is grounds for a replacement.

Why framed prints ship flat

A framed print cannot roll. The frame is rigid, usually with a glazing layer at the front, and bending it even slightly risks a cracked corner, a popped joint or broken glass. So framed editions travel flat, sandwiched between protective boards and boxed with padding at the edges, where impacts land hardest. The box is sized close to the frame so nothing shifts inside.

This is true regardless of the image on the front. A Grimshaw lamplit street scene and a Loiseau riverbank travel the same way, because the packaging protects the object, not the picture. The same logic applies to any framed edition, including pieces like Art Forms in Nature 118, Framed Poster or Les Javelles, Framed Poster, which arrive boxed and flat rather than rolled.

Why canvas prints ship rolled

Canvas behaves differently. The material is flexible, and a rolled canvas survives a journey better than a flat one, because a tube distributes shock along the whole surface instead of concentrating it at corners. So unframed canvas editions ship rolled, face inward, in a tube with a diameter wide enough that the print does not crease.

The tradeoff is that a rolled canvas needs to be flattened or stretched before it hangs, which adds a step at your end. A framed edition arrives ready to place on the wall. If that distinction matters to you, it is worth reading how to choose between a canvas print and a framed poster before ordering, or looking at a ready-to-hang option such as Poplars by the Eure River, Framed Poster.

How each format travels

Framed prints ship flat in a rigid, padded box sized to the frame.
Unframed canvas prints ship rolled, face inward, in a wide protective tube.
Rolled canvas needs stretching or flattening before it can be hung.
Transit damage to either format is a legitimate reason to request a replacement.

What to check when the parcel arrives

Open framed boxes with care, cutting tape rather than pulling the frame out through the opening. Inspect the corners and the glazing before you discard the packaging, because a hairline crack in the glass is far easier to report with the box still on hand. Photograph any damage the same day. Carriers ask for documentation, and sellers can only act on what you can show.

A rolled tube deserves the same treatment. Unroll the canvas gently on a clean, flat surface and let it relax for a day or two before stretching. Most prints arrive without incident, but the small percentage that do not are almost always fixable if the problem is reported promptly. For anything unclear, contact the support team before disposing of the packaging.

The tube protects the flexible thing. The box protects the rigid one. Nothing about it is arbitrary.

Format	Ships	Packaging
Framed print	Flat	Rigid padded box, corner protection
Unframed canvas	Rolled	Wide tube, face inward
Large framed print	Flat	Reinforced box, extra edge padding

Shipping format by print type

Key takeaways

Framed Grimshaw prints ship flat in rigid protective boxes.
Unframed canvas prints ship rolled in a tube, face inward.
Rolled canvas requires flattening or stretching before hanging.
Report transit damage quickly and keep the original packaging until resolved.

Related questions

Will a rolled canvas print be creased when it unrolls?

A properly rolled canvas in a wide tube should not crease. It will hold a slight curl from sitting in the tube, which settles after a day or two laid flat under light weight. If a print arrives with an actual crease or crack in the surface, that is transit damage and should be reported rather than accepted.

Is flat shipping safe for glass in a framed print?

Flat shipping is the safer method for glass, not the riskier one. Rolling is impossible with a frame, and flat packing with corner protection and edge padding is the standard approach. The main residual risk is impact at the corners, which good boxing is designed to absorb. Inspect corners and glazing on arrival.

How long does delivery usually take once shipped?

Transit times depend on destination and format, since framed boxes and tubes move differently through carrier networks. A realistic expectation for most destinations is several working days after dispatch, longer internationally. Production time before dispatch is separate and should be added to any delivery estimate you are given.

From the Auvrique collection

Made to order · Every size