Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-08-23

A. r. Oakley In HarIer Tor September.
ihe primary object In framing picture IN d
separate II from the surrounding surface and
objects. 20 that our attention NAV not be- dis
trscted nom the effect aimed nj by the artist
The least that can be expected OF a frame Is not
10 interfere with this effect. and the most that a
Fan ia,se can achieve is to enhance IL. The ques-
tioh OF framing is 80 bound up with that OF
hanging that II Is almost impossible 10 olsen N
.hem separately. The direction and Quality Of
ilsnt Is vital to many pictures. as color IL |.
raoperty OF night picture OF the Sphinx, for
instance, painted in the blaze of Egyr,,ian
sunlight. must be very different In effect When
nuhg IN London gallery, and seen through ita
hurky atmosphere. This difficulty was so h,Ilv
appreciated by many OF the old masters that they
iaiiteu 10y iamp-llSht. finding that the effects
pTocuced under these circumstances stood tina
test vi any ana every light better We can not
vi course, import or counterfeit the various
iights IN which pictures are painted but we can
al least Try TO discover which of our wall sur.
iaces from Their relations 10 the light viii show
our picture TO the greatest advantage Much Of
the responsibility OF this discrimination MIGHT
pe assumed by the artist, by writing under lila
signature Light right and south" or Jeff
and NORTH" as il often done Inv par,s,.c
painters.
The treatment OF the surrounding wall snrface
Is also vital point. both I'm design and color
especially In color, as there il always some par.
ticuiar tone which viii contrast with particular
picture better than any other though the design
OIL the wall decoration is often very important
a minutely handled snail Dutch picture. for
instance, requiring rather a large treatment Of
background To give full force TO the detail.
though This large treatment may be carried to
SUCH an extreme as TO give the background the
appearance vi plain wall of some color sur
rounding our little minutely finished panel
giving II more or less the effect al "A blister Tho
Character OF the design on the wall is also I'm
portant, and, as general rule pictures are seen
TO the best advantage against somewhat vague
al NSxsif xxsffh
geometrical precision
In short, the framing Of our pictures involves
the choice OF our wail-covcrings and when they
are Beyond our control for some reason. or be-
cause, III many instances the wall decoration
best suited TO one picture would be more or less
al variance with another. We have still a resource
that may, 10 degree, accomplish the same end
.hat Is, To Tx some of our pictures upon a screen
covered . with the requisite material, and pro-
lectlng sufficiently beyond the frame to sup
ply the required background. Drapery round
the frame Is used Tor this purpose also. The ex-
tent OF TINS screen or drapery, aud whether it
should De separated from the wall by gilt or
Diack moulding, and IL So what the character
OF this moulding should be, are all questions to
De determined 10y the picture itself There re-
mann other nice questions in hanging pictures
-tiiat OF the relative size of the picture and
the apartment in which it is seen, and the
nelght at which the best effect is attained
These questions are determined by the direc-
tlon, quantity and quality of light, and by the
2
handling OF the picture. A small deicately
finished picture is lost in q large room. on n
large wall surface, In a flood of light and hung
on what lis called the eye line-fiye feet six
Inches above the door; while il hung lower,
In small room, in one direct light. il asserts
It's Importance. The latter conditions would
be anything but favorable to The Sistine Ma
donna, On the other hand, while il demands the
FORMER The frame Of picture involves many
conscientious. There are pictures so low in
tone That an almost totally black frame is neces-
sary to preserve the values, while others are 40
warm In color that no frame, however splendid,
can subdue them. The question is one of form.
size, detail and the various tones of gold from q
brass color to a warm red, and this must depend
ehtireiy upon the tone Of the picture often two
| or three tones Of gold may be effectively en-
pioyed. For instance, where very wide frame
is necessary monotony and heayness may be
avoided by relieving the ornaments and mould
ings in different gold from the predominating
tone. Color has been employed for this pur-
pose in paint and in bands OF velvet, but lave
yet to see an instance where the effect is not to
emphasize the frame at the expense of the pic-
ture.