Interesting Art Book

Or at least Richard Dorment's review of Art and the Power of Placement. The point of the book is: there may not be a right way to hang a painting, but there are definitely wrong ways.

The hardcopy of Dorment's review ($3 online, sorry) shows Jackson's Pollack's Blue Poles #2 hanging in a NY collector's apartment (and, if I may say so, hung very well):



The author argues that Pollack painted this to cover a wall, and in his studio juxtaposed it with other large works. A good way to present the painting is in a relatively small space with it effectively replacing a wall. A bad way is to hang it in a giant airy chamber against white walls, where its power and immediacy are compromised by the sterile surroundings.

It's hard to argue with the idea that this is a good way to present the Nike of Samothrace:



Others are not so fortunate, with the Musee d'Orsay singled out for various forms of abuse.