When we see a work of art, no matter the environmental setting, we have some sort of reaction to the piece. An analysis of some of the art housed in museums in New York City, Paris, and Rome, this thesis outlines some examples of different environmental factors affecting a viewer’s perception of that specific visual representation. The surrounding works, the accompanying wall texts and labels, as well as the structure of the building or specific room that houses the work, affects how a viewer might perceive it. Similar works offer different experiences when displayed in different places, such as Monet’s Water Lilies in MoMA and in the Musée de l’Orangerie. Other art pieces gain significance because of the harmony or contrast that they create with their surroundings--whether it be other paintings, as in the Frick Collection, or large machinery, as in the case of the Centrale Montemartini in Rome.Plan II Honors Progra
