In Melbourne Silver K gallery was selling for a limited time this type of high end art work , they all looked absolutely fantastic but they were soo expensive 600$ - 2500+ AUS.
Afew people asked can you buy the art without the frames and you wernt able to.
They guy was saying the frames on the art work cost upwards to 400$ alone i.e ("Luminous Being" Limited Edition Giclee Paper Edition
Image 17" x 22") ..and from memory it cost about 2 Grand.
It looked absolutely stunning especially when held in light , but not 2 grand worthy.
Im sure if you could just buy the pict without the print they would sell heaps, as i would have got afew but not if the frame cost in excess off 25% or more of the price.
As some like to have no frames on there pict and framing a pict i feel as a personal choice to the surroundings you intend to put it in.
But i think the gallery lost alot of business by having frames with the pict
But i assume thats how they make money from the exhibition.