paintings are simply painted on a gambler's chance of finding suitable
surroundings afterwards. Nowadays a picture is produced with the one
idea of separating it from the rest of the world by a more or less
hideous gold frame, the design of which in many cases is out of all
relation to the picture as well as to the wall. In fact, most frames
impress one as nothing but attempts to make them as costly as possible.

I imagine that practically all true painters would rather do their
pictures under and for a given physical condition, to support and be
supported by architecture; but with the unfortunate present-day
elimination of paintings from most architectural problems, most artists
have to paint their pictures for an imaginary condition. The present
production of paintings has become absolutely unmindful of the true,
function of a painting, which is to decorate in collaboration with the
other arts - architecture and sculpture.

It is necessary to bear these facts in mind in trying to do justice to a
large aggregate of canvases in an international exhibition, or any
exhibition. Thousands of pictures, created by a host of different
artists, are temporarily thrown together. The result, of course, can
never be entirely satisfying. Many devices are employed to overcome this
very disturbing condition and with varying success. The hanging of
pictures against neutral backgrounds, the grouping of works of one man,
the selection of works of similar tonality, colour schemes, technique,
subject, style, etc. - these are all well known methods of trying to
overcome the essential artificiality of the methods of exhibition of
modern paintings. I doubt whether so long as we insist upon art
exhibitions of the conventionally accepted type, we shall ever be able
to present pictures with due regard to their meaning. We must not make
the mistake of blaming a director of an exhibition for a difficulty