A few thoughts:
I have a series of botanical specimen shots (flora on a hot white background) that I sell framed without glazing. They are only coated with Hahnemühle spray and are on either Canson Rag Photographique or Hahnemühle German Etching.
They need more maintenance than glazed and frame prints; they really need going over lightly with an ostrich feather duster once a month. Otherwise they stand up fine under normal household conditions. I have removed red wine splashes from one of them with no problem.
I am wary about beeswax. I have a couple of pieces of furniture that I built, for which I used pure beeswax as a finish, and show no sign of degradation after a couple of decades. However, some of the beeswax used for that was stored in the cellar, and shows mould growth on the outside of each block of wax. From the same blocks that were used as a finish.
As for the oil on canvas not needing glass, if you go through any museum nowadays, you will unfortunately find many oil-on-canvas pieces under glass for protection. It is mostly an anti vandalism thing. Spray paint is difficult to remove and many insurers demand glazing. And there is a move there towards acrylic, it is easily scratched, but doesn’t shatter.
I don’t know if any of you have seen the Mona Lisa recently, but it really isn’t worth it. It is under so much protection and in such a dim room and there are better things to see in the Louvre.
I did see a glorious exhibit of Albrecht Dürer prints last year, and the cotton and linen papers had stood up to 500 years without any signs of age, except the few that had been dry mounted, which were in terrible shape.
It is always a trade off.
Brian A
