Picture Hanging Tips
Corinne Erly Brown
February 15, 2010
Paintings, prints and photographs are often the heartbeat of the room. They can transform the mood of rooms, halls and stairways. Height, scale, grouping and lighting can make the difference between a graceful display and one that looks awkward.
A short history of hanging styles
Why frame? The purpose of a frame, from an artist's point of view, is to separate the imaginary world within the painting from the real world of the room. When the image is confined it makes it easier to comprehend and appreciate as a whole.
Frames have been found in evidence in Pompeii, where the images, although painted directly on the walls, had painted frames around them to separate them from the room and to isolate the 'view'.
Hanging styles have come and gone. In the 17th century, framed paintings were hung above eye-level, from the cornice and were often cantilevered from the wall so the viewer on the floor could seen them better. In the 18th century, there was a tendency to hang pictures in groups and often one picture would be hung beneath the other on a pair of chains. By the 19th century, hanging framed art became a little less rigid and pictures were hung in tiers by wire or cord. By the end of World War I, there was a clearing out of the Victorian and Edwardian clutter and fewer furnishings, and paintings, were seen in rooms.
The most important thing to remember about hanging framed art is that it is the picture that is important. The role of frame and mat is to complement and flatter the image, not to compete with it. Today, hanging arrangements are much more a matter of personal taste than they ever have been in the past.
Framed Art Hanging Tips
Consider the shapes in the architecture of the room as if they were part of a framed art composition.
Doors and windows can look magical with framed art hung on either side. The door or window will provide another framed vista.
Fireplaces have long been favorite places to accent with framed art. Consider the mantle to be another frame and balance a large painting or mirror over it. Because fireplaces are inherently a focal point of the room, this is not the place to hang many small prints. There should be something of weight above the fireplace to balance the strength of what's below.
Don't be afraid to accent curves with framed art. A curving staircase or hall can look charming with a series of framed art prints drawing attention to the curve.
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