Letter to A.B. Mitford [Secretary, Office of Works]

Since the opening of the new rooms at the Gallery several of the panel pictures have become cracked or blistered. The Director has established that this damage has been caused by the air in the new rooms being dried by the heating system that is turned on during the winter. To solve this problem it is suggested that open water troughs should be installed under the floor gratings from where the heat is omitted, so the air may be moistened as it rises through the grates. The Director also suggests that the public gallery floors should be stained and polished, which is a process that has proved successful in other galleries on the continent. The darkened floor means that less light is reflected onto the pictures, so they can be viewed much more effectively.