September, 1919 
25 
particularly some of the 
beautiful Grinling Gib¬ 
bons carvings especially 
designed for this purpose 
and used as over-mantel 
decorations. 
This method of placing 
a good sized canvas to 
exactly fit a wall panel is 
happily illustrated on page 
24, where a portrait by 
Mr. Sterner was used as 
a decoration exactly fitting 
the space over the fire¬ 
place. When planning a 
room, the size of the can¬ 
vas should be considered 
and the panels made to fit. 
Delightful results may be 
achieved in this fashion 
by the use of an oval por¬ 
trait or flower painting 
and, of course, small 
paintings used as over 
doors set in moldings are 
effective. Grisaille is par¬ 
ticularly good for this pur¬ 
pose, as well as for over 
mirrors. 
The Question of Frames 
Above a settee covered in mauve and silver damask 
hangs a small painting in a dull silver frame 
wise to consider whether your walls are to be 
used as a background for pictures or whether 
they are to form the chief decorations themselves. 
Simply paneled, painted walls are always the 
best and there are many interesting colors which 
will be found harmonious. The gray-green is 
always lovely and a robin’s egg blue, although 
rather strong, is good; also a deep wann fawn 
color. It seems needless to add that a patterned 
wall paper should never be used when pictures 
are. Because in 
this way the de¬ 
sign of the picture 
loses its signifi¬ 
cance entirelv. 
Pictures as 
Decoration 
In the 17th 
and 18th Cen¬ 
turies in rooms of 
any importance it 
was always usual 
to consider pic¬ 
tures as an inte¬ 
gral part of the 
decoration. So 
much was this 
true that panels 
sunk in the walls 
in a molding of 
carved wood or 
stucco were near¬ 
ly always used to 
surround por¬ 
traits. Even when 
not set in the 
walls in this 
fashion, the 
frames were made 
to conform with 
the ornamental 
detail of the rest 
of the room. 
Many English 
interiors illustrate 
this treatment, 
Another vital question is 
the question of frames. The 
ornate, heavy, ponderous, 
gold frame is happily gradually becoming a 
thing of the past, but too many “art collectors” 
cling to this old time abomination to omit men¬ 
tion of it altogether. The frame makers have a 
very good and interesting variety of frames, 
gold and old silver and copper tones, black 
with old gold medallions, some with deeply 
recessed molding, others flat and carved in low 
relief. There should be no excuse for not 
framing pictures adequately and with due con¬ 
ln the dining room stands an old English cabinet 
between two Lancashire chairs 
sideration for both the canvas and the setting. 
The frames should be kept in harmony, 
especially in the case of small pictures hung 
close together, as otherwise a very confusing 
result is achieved. 
Pictures and the Small House 
So many people are under the impression 
that a big, rather imposing house is necessary 
in order to own and display art objects to 
As a 
Cool gray-green paneled walls make a happy background for the many objets d’art in the salon. The 
place of honor is accorded the bronze dancer, by Eli Nadelman, and over the settee hangs a portrait 
advantage, 
matter of fact, 
this is not true at 
all. Many a small 
house or > apart¬ 
ment blossoms 
forth tremendous¬ 
ly and acquires 
personality and 
distinction by the 
introduction of a 
few good pictures. 
Of course, they 
must be well 
chosen and wise¬ 
ly placed, but by 
their intelligent 
use they will 
give variety and 
beauty to the 
staid walls,broad¬ 
ening the size of 
the room to in¬ 
clude vistas of 
sea and land, and 
introducing bril¬ 
liancy of color 
and beauty of 
design. Beware 
the perils of in¬ 
appropriateness, 
however, for they 
multiply and 
grow in size in 
inverse ratio as 
their settings di¬ 
minish. 
