ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates that all national galleries adopt strategies that work for that nation and the strengths of the collection; that in the national gallery there is no such thing as universal art history, only a claim to represent it. The achievement of Tate Britain's arrangement resulted not simply from the imposition of an objective logic, but from its staff's ability to create effective visual performances in space; to create a kind of static theatre. The meaning and effectiveness of the artwork are so reliant on its placement and associations that the two might be considered to be in symbiotic union: painting and context. Visitors introduce movement into these harmonious spaces and thus add potential for the gallery to create further psychological effects, including those that produce a sense of development and even revelation. The Prado's mass shows the iconic painters of the Spanish school are one way to create impact and position national artists within the international survey.
