Timothy Corrigan's collection of portraits displayed at the designer's château in France.
Photo: Xavier Béjot
Designer Timothy Corrigan Reveals Display Techniques to Elevate any Art Collection
Turning the spotlight on his own château and Paris apartment, the design extraordinaire notes there is no right or wrong way to showcase artwork, just different approaches
Corrigan spotlights his own château and Paris apartment in his new book. Photo: Xavier Béjot
How an artwork is displayed can be just as impactful as its subject matter. A canvas can draw appreciative stares as the sole focal point of a room, create an intoxicating juxtaposition with an aesthetically different work, or send a space into a captivating new direction when integrated into a wider collection. “There is no right or wrong way to showcase artworks, simply different approaches,” says designer Timothy Corrigan, who highlights a variety of styles in his new book spotlighting his château and Paris apartment, At Home in France: Inspiration and Style in Town and Country (Rizzoli). “Ultimately, your eye will tell you whether your arrangement is harmonious.”
When it comes to pairing works of different sizes, schools of thought vary by region. In the U.S., designers tend to place the larger of two works on the bottom, while French style favors installing the more diminutive canvas below. “This arrangement has the added benefit of allowing viewers to get closer to see the details of the smaller work,” suggests Corrigan of the latter.
When displaying two pieces of different sizes French designers favor placing the smaller canvas below the larger work. Photo: Xavier Béjot
American tastes suggest hanging the smaller canvas above the larger work. Photo: Xavier Béjot
With many clients looking to rotate collections and others resistant to hanging anything on plaster walls, hand-painted silk wall coverings, or exquisite mahogany shelves, designers rely on myriad means for displaying art, many drawing on the techniques of the past. Resting beloved artworks on easels or leaning them against the wall are two options that offer flexibility to change things out when a new painting moves in. Suspending a piece on cords from a picture rail or molding is another solution popular in the 19th century and still a worthy alternative. “It is a great way to add a sense of importance to any work and is especially lovely on mirrored walls,” says Corrigan.
And although the perfect symmetry of rows of rectangular frames is easier to accomplish, there’s a case to be made for embracing an almost random assortment of shapes. “You need to keep spacing consistent to achieve visual balance,” advises Corrigan. So while there is no definitive method for presenting art, there is an art to making a treasured work shine.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2024 Collectors Issue under the headline “Living Arrangement.” Subscribe to the magazine.
Cover: Timothy Corrigan's collection of portraits displayed at the designer's château in France.
Photo: Xavier Béjot
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