Give the painting a role in the room
A detailed small work invites a closer look, while a broad landscape may read from the other end of a room. Start with the intended wall, furniture and usual viewing distance. Record image dimensions and framed dimensions separately. For a group, choose a rhythm of sizes, a palette or a relationship between subjects instead of buying works simply because they happen to be available together.
Read signatures without filling the gaps
A signature is an indication to investigate, not authentication by itself. Request a clear image of the inscription and the whole painting. Transcribe visible letters and keep uncertain readings identified as uncertain. The names or dates in historical listing addresses are not evidence of authorship. If an attribution is central to your decision, have the available material examined by an appropriate specialist before committing to it.
Keep condition and documentation together
Ask for images of the surface, edges and reverse, with details of known restoration. Separate the state of the frame from that of the painting and support. A later frame cannot establish the work’s date. Store dimensions, photographs, descriptions and supplied documents in one object record. A receipt, an expert opinion and a family account provide different kinds of evidence and should not be presented as equivalent.
Plan a hospitality collection before hanging
For a hotel, assign a proposed position to each work and identify who approves the selection. Consider the sequence seen by guests rather than evaluating rooms independently. Have fixing methods assessed for the actual weights and wall supports. Retain the final layout and installation photographs alongside the object files. This makes future care easier and helps you source alternatives when a particular work cannot be obtained, without implying that another identical painting exists.