I was surrounded by wonderful art last week, and helped many people make art selections for their homes. In the art frame of mind, I paid close attention to the magnificent art in the various houses of Downton Abbey when I was catching up on past episodes last weekend. In particular, I admired the way in which much of the art was hung in a European stacked manner (often from chains anchored to the molding), which allows for several paintings to be hung on one wall.
These are not paintings that are created as a series by the same artist, or a series of matching items like intaglios or antique prints. And they are not quite gallery walls, where there is a collection of framed items hung in an asymmetrical grouping. Rather, they are paintings that have been collected through the generations, and the placement of the paintings is just as much of an art as the paintings themselves. Often the larger painting is hung above a smaller painting.
A scene from a recent Downton Abbey – note the way in which the paintings are hung from chains. As a side note, this is truly a magnificent chandelier; I admire it every time there is a scene in this room.
The dining room at Highclere Castle, where Downton Abbey is filmed, also has a collection of paintings hung in a stacked manner, small under large.
The dining room Althorp House, Princess Diana’s family seat, features many portraits made through the centuries, hung in a classically European style.
A richly colored library with stacked paintings, hanging from brass poles hung at the cornice. Of particular interest are the smaller paintings on the left side of the picture, four linked together with chain.
A gorgeous Parisian apartment with paintings hung one over another (and hung by a brass chain).
I found a wonderful post on The Devoted Classicist about the European hanging style, which focused on the “master in the arrangement of pictures” - Alec Cobbe, a painter-designer-musician who lives at Hatchlands Park, a National Trust property in Surrey, England. Click here to see the article, I thoroughly enjoyed it. The image is from the post, originally from a March 1996 article in Architectural Digest.
I found many modern day examples of hanging a grouping of paintings in a vertical stacked manner, including this exquisite image in a room attributed to Jacques Grange. Note how the paintings in the corresponding position on each side have a thematic similarity.
Reminiscent of a gallery wall, but note the orderly and linear manner in which the pictures and paintings are hung.
Someone with a great eye and a talent for the art of picture hanging created this arrangement. It appears to be a collection of dog paintings in varying shapes and sizes.
One of my favorite rooms ever published in Veranda; I see something new every time I look at it. Note the paintings hung to the left of the fireplace.
A closer view – I like how the top painting is slightly bigger than the bottom painting.
A beautiful vignette from a French chateau. Note how the top painting is hung from a brass rod, but the bottom painting appears to be hung directly on the wall.
The perfect place for a collection of small oil paintings. hung in a stacked manner – a wonderful collection and a great way to display it.
A beautiful vignette of contemporary paintings and a mirror stacked on a small wall. Interior design by Rochard Hallberg.
There is such a beauty to the arrangement of these paintings, and the fact that it takes the art from floor to ceiling. Design by Betsy Brown.
Very traditional paintings (stacked with larger one over smaller one) and a modern console. This is a gorgeous vignette – found on Pinterest – I would love to know the designer.
A stunning stair hall by Joseph Minton – the tall grouping of paintings on the right is perfect in the space, taking the art all the way from floor to ceiling.
A pretty vignette of stacked paintings and a settee.
I have used this picture on my blog when I was selecting a mantel, and now the stacked paintings above the mantel catch my eye. Design by Cathy Kincaid.
A classic arrangement of interior paintings, in a room designed by Charlotte Moss.
A wider view of the same room (although one the images was flipped) shows how the stacked paintings are offset by a more asymmetrical gallery wall on the right side of the fireplace. To me, this speaks of a collection that has been gathered over time, perhaps by different artists but reflecting a love of interior paintings. All of the paintings are framed uniquely, but with a similar burnished gold that makes the arrangement cohesive. It’s a beautiful look.
A favorite image found on Cote de Texas last year – if you look closely, the paintings are hung in a very linear manner from top to bottom.
I truly appeciate every picture in this post, and love the look of art hung in this manner. I always wonder how the home owners and/or designers were inspired to hang the art in this manner. With the old English houses, I suspect it was to make room for the collection of a generation – hanging in a stacked manner certainly maximizes the number of paintings that can be shown in a space. But what about the modern spaces? Do homeowners and/or designers find the paintings individually at one time, and then group them? Or maybe the collections come together over time and then get grouped when the homeowner moves or is inspired to redecorate? What do you think? I would love to create a wall similar to the last image, but I wouldn't even know how to start.
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