We’re back with part three of our in-depth series examining the ins and outs of The Frame’s Art Store.

If you’re just joining us, be sure to check out parts one and two once you’re finished here to find out how collections are curated, and to learn more about how The Frame is helping talented artists expand their reach. In this, the last entry in our series, we turn our attention to museums and the role they play in introducing incredible works of art to users’ living rooms.

Follow along as representatives from museums beloved by art lovers and The Frame users alike – London’s famed Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, and Madrid’s iconic Museo Nacional del Prado – discuss partnering with the Art Store to make their masterpieces more accessible.

Q: How did your collaboration with the Art Store come about?

The V&A’s Licensing R&D Manager, Amelia Calver: In March of 2018, we started the V&A Collection for The Frame in partnership with Samsung. This collaboration embraces our defining principles of access, education, inspiration, creativity, design and innovation.

Working with the V&A’s expansive archive, Samsung selected over 20 works of art for the Art Store which span centuries and cultures, yet all embody a story of decorative art and design. From classic wallpaper patterns from the celebrated British Arts & Crafts Movement, to dramatic woodblock prints, users can now enhance their surroundings with a digital display of V&A images that are the perfect mix of art and history.

The Museo del Prado Difusión’s General Manager, Cristina Alovisetti: Samsung has been a long-term Prado partner since 2013. We have been working with the common goal of using technology to make art more accessible to society, creating more opportunities for people to enjoy and learn about it.

Q: What does the Museum find most intriguing about the Art Store and The Frame?

V&A: The V&A is the world’s leading museum in terms of art, design, and performances. It holds 2.7 million objects ranging from ceramics to furniture, photography to digital design, and fashion to fine art. With this in mind, we were immediately fascinated by the concept of The Frame. The way the television has been designed to fit seamlessly into a room and appear as appealing when off as it is when in use is an example of great ingenuity and imagination.

Prado: What we found most intriguing was the idea of The Frame as a window for enjoying art with the very specific added value of enabling users to become curators.

If we were to imagine a natural progression for enjoying artworks from museums, postcards would come first, paper copies, such as posters, would come next, and high-definition images on devices would follow. The Frame’s Art Store goes further in a way by becoming a part of people’s homes. People enjoy digital content on their devices when they are ‘connected,’ and The Frame and the Art Store create a way for them to continue enjoying art when they are ‘disconnected.’

Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid (@Museo del Prado, by Jerónimo Alvarez)

Q: How does the Art Store’s philosophy of making art more accessible align with the Museum’s?

V&A: When the V&A was founded in the mid-19th century, it pioneered modern techniques of photography, electrotyping and plaster casts, and enabled working people to access the highlights of Western civilization and high culture without having to travel overseas.

In the same spirit, The Frame’s Art Store brings together highlights from the V&A’s collection, from Japanese woodblock prints to William Morris’s wallpaper designs, creating the impression of entering a digital gallery, and therefore widening the level of access to world-renowned art and design.

Prado: The Prado dedicates considerable efforts to sharing knowledge through its website and the richness of its contents. When an artwork cannot be experienced live, the quality of the images becomes a priority, as even the smallest details can offer a new point of view. The way that the Art Store allows us to admire and enjoy art up close is completely aligned with this way of perceiving art.

Q: How would you describe the importance of appreciating art in our everyday lives?

V&A: Art and design are integral parts of home and daily life. As humans, we naturally react – often subconsciously – to our everyday surroundings, and it is therefore important to realize and embrace the emotive nature of art and design in their ability to create beautiful and uplifting experiences.

The V&A is world-renowned for creating such experiences through its collections and blockbuster exhibitions on a variety of themes. What a wonderful opportunity to invite these experiences into the home through the Art Store!

Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London

Q: How would you sum up the selection of art that the Museum is showcasing in the Store?

V&A: The collection includes timeless masterpieces and works from unknown artists, giving you the freedom to discover art you love. It includes the work of the creative pioneers that the Museum is well-known for, such as William Morris, Hokusai and James Francis Danby, but also new and in some cases unknown names and designers, which will help give customers insight into the work and history of the decorative arts museum, and an appreciation for our collection and all its variety.

Prado: Since the beginning, we’ve selected our major artworks with careful consideration for how they would be presented and enjoyed. The constantly updated Prado Image Bank has allowed us to fill our collection with 4K images, achieving the level of quality needed to properly enjoy them through a digital medium.

We selected a wide range of works from the Prado Collection that spans centuries and styles, including both icons and lesser-known masterpieces such as Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights and Velazquez’s View of the Garden of the Villa Medici, 19th-century landscapes like the Riva degli Schiavoni in Venice, and still-life and portrait pieces.

Q: Have you noticed any interesting trends in terms of the types of art that users are most attracted to?

V&A: There’s been a huge surge in the desire to connect with the natural world and show our respect and appreciation for it. Patterns by William Morris and some of his contemporaries, including C.F.A. Voysey and Walter Crane, offer a sense of that connection.

Whether you want bold, bright colors like Walter Crane’s Cockatoo and Pomegranate, or more elegant, earthy tones like William Morris’s Strawberry Thief, these designs can help bring a sense of calm and tranquility into the home.

Prado: Still life, landscapes and decorative art are particularly popular. Other pieces in the mix include lesser-known paintings like The Siesta, or Pompeian Scene – a domestic scene in antiquity for a 21st-century home.

About the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A)

The Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A) is the world’s leading museum of art, design and performance with collections unrivalled in their scope and diversity, spanning 5000 years of human creativity. It was established in 1852 to make works of art available to all and to inspire British designers and manufacturers. Today, its purpose is to champion creative industry, inspire the next generation, and spark everyone’s imagination.

About the Prado Museum, Madrid (The Museo Del Prado)

The Museo Del Prado is considered by many to be the greatest public collection of paintings in the world. From the time of its foundation in 1819 the Museum attracted to Madrid the most refined and sensitive art lovers of the 19th century. In the Prado’s tranquil galleries they discovered Velázquez and Goya and through them the entire Spanish School, which from that point onwards enjoyed a new esteem among critics and art historians worldwide. In addition to the key works by those painters, to whose list of names we should add El Greco, the Museum also houses extremely important holdings of the work of other European artists as a result of the collecting interests of the Spanish monarchy. It is consequently impossible to gain a profound knowledge of the work of Titian, Rubens or Bosch without visiting this venerable institution.

During the course of its existence and over more than two hundred years that have passed since 1819, the Museo del Prado has been able to reinforce its collections to a significant degree, becoming one of the most established and highly appreciated institutions of its kind in Europe.

* Users looking to discover artwork collection from V&A and Museo del Prado in The Frame’s Art Store can head to Partner > V&A or Partner > Prado.

This comes after The Frame QLED TV 55-inch, which when not in use transforms into a stylish picture frame with over 1,200 digital artworks to choose from, being sold out before the end of the offer period during its previous sale on Flipkart, in September 2019.

The Frame QLED TV 55-inch will be available at INR 84,990. Customers doing pre-paid transactions through credit cards, debit cards and net banking will get an additional instant cashback of INR 3,000.

The new Frame QLED TV 65-inch, being introduced in India for the first time, will be available at INR 1,59,990 with attractive pre-book offer during the sale period.

The delivery of pre-booked units will start from February 1, 2020.

“Among the many unique innovations that Samsung has pioneered over the years, The Frame is a masterpiece designed to be more than just a television. We got a huge response during the last sale on Flipkart in September 2019, and the TV was sold out. So we decided to bring back The Frame during Flipkart Republic Day sale on popular demand. This time, we have added a new 65-inch variant as well,” said Piyush Kunnapallil, Director – Online Business, Consumer Electronics, Samsung India.

Samsung, an undisputed market leader in the TV category for last 13 years globally and in India, introduced the industry defining QLED TVs in 2017. The Frame QLED TV is a perfect amalgamation of technology and design, enhancing both the living space and entertainment experience for consumers.

The Frame offers superior picture quality with QLED technology, which enables beautiful colours, exceptional contrasts and impeccable details with 100% colour volume. The Frame also has in-built motion and brightness sensors.

When it is not being used as TV, The Frame moves into Art Mode and displays digital pieces of artwork to turn an everyday living space into an art gallery. Just like how a framed picture looks different depending on the time of day, The Frame adjusts the screen brightness based on the ambient light in the room. The TVs will come with 10-year no screen burn-in warranty and two-year warranty on the panel.

Price & Availability

The Frame QLED TV will only be available online on Flipkart and Samsung’s official online store Samsung Shop. The 55-inch (1m 38cm) model will be available at a special price of INR 84,990 on Flipkart with additional cashback offer of INR 3,000. The Frame QLED TV 65-inch (1m 63cm) will be available for INR 1,59,990 with attractive pre-book offer during the Flipkart Republic Day sale only.

For customers buying The Frame QLED TV, Samsung will provide installation support within four hours of delivery

The Frame QLED TV: Lifestyle TV

Art Mode: The Frame QLED TV gives meaning to TV even when it’s switched off. When you are not watching TV, instead of it being a black screen, you can use it as a picture frame that displays artwork and photos just like they would be on paper, film or canvas. It even hangs like a real Frame.

Art Store: Through the Art Store, you can transform your TV into a picture frame that shows 1,200+ artworks from around the world. Users can get access to a growing library of artwork from world renowned institutions by selecting pieces individually or signing up for a membership to get unlimited access to these collections.

Quantum Processor: Samsung’s intelligent 4 Core Quantum Processor 4K powered display instantly up scales content for sharper details and refined colours. The processor comes with 1.7 Gigahertz clock speed and truly creates an adaptive experience where every frame is a masterpiece.

See the world in QLED: Watch details come to life with beautiful colours, exceptional contrasts and impeccable details. The Frame QLED TV delivers on the promise with 100% colour volume that shows realistic colours no matter how bright or dark the scene gets. The Frame QLED TV comes with Samsung’s Quantum Dot technology, 120 Hz refresh rate and HDR 10+ that brings all pictures to life, showing everything the director wanted us to see. With the exceptional picture quality, The Frame is a Netflix recommended TV for ultimate viewing experience.

Intelligent sensors: The Frame QLED TV also comes with motion and brightness sensors. When you’re nearby, the motion sensor detects your presence and turns the TV display into artwork, so you can enjoy your favorite art while you’re there. When you leave, it turns off to save energy. By detecting the ambient light, the Brightness Sensor automatically balances the screen’s brightness and colour tone for a natural illumination. So whether it’s day or night, you can see your art how it was meant to be seen.

Voice Assistants: You can talk to The Frame QLED TV. The Frame QLED TV works with Bixby and Google Assistant to make your life easier. Change channels, adjust the volume, control playback and more with just your voice.

Smart Home: The Frame QLED TV can connect wirelessly with a wide range of smart devices and make them work together with the SmartThings App and One Remote Control. With AirPlay 2 also built in, you can stream or share content from Apple devices to The Frame QLED TV effortlessly. The Frame QLED TV will also run the Apple TV App, which offers the Apple TV+ video subscription service.

One Invisible Connection: With no gap wall-mount and one invisible connection, it looks gorgeous from all sides and fits perfectly in your space.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.  

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, digital appliances, network systems and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions. For latest news on Samsung India, please visit Samsung India Newsroom at http://news.samsung.com/in. For Hindi, log on to Samsung Newsroom Bharat at https://news.samsung.com/bharat. You can also follow us on Twitter @SamsungNewsIN

Let’s take a quick look at these new, meaningful features:

Office PPT? Make it on Your TV!

For young professionals tired of straining their eyes on the 16” laptop screen, this TV is like a magic lamp. The Smart 7-in-1 TV doubles up as a personal computer and allows you to access work documents on cloud. Users can remotely access their laptop or personal computer from any location over the internet. It even provides seamless access to Microsoft Office 365 services over cloud. Moreover, your data remains as secured as a vault with multilayered unmatched Samsung Knox security.

Bixby, Your Personal Assistant

The intuitive TV allows you to watch unconventional content with preloaded entertainment platforms and an inbuilt Content Guide. So, you don’t have to waste time surfing through everything. The Content Guide recommends popular shows and content tailored just for you.

To make the entertainment process feel even more effortless, the TV comes with Samsung’s personalized Bixby Voice. This personal assistant will help find your favourite content, bring you informative updates, and can even control all the other smart devices in your home.

It’s a Music System!

On a day when all you want is good music, the TV can act as your music system.

It comes with Two Way Sharing that helps the TV, tablet and the phone to work as a team. You can mirror the content on your smartphone on a larger screen or play music of your smartphone from the TV speakers. This TV provides a comprehensive visual experience by turning into a virtual music system and allows the consumers to choose from a library of skins with different color options.

TV to Phone in No Time

Let your family or friend know that you care by sharing a video, a picture or their favourite song. The Live Cast feature enables this by allowing you to share a livestream between the smart TV and a linked smartphone.

Your TV is Your Virtual Cloud: Store Your Memories & Files

The idea behind this smart TV is to make the consumer’s life simpler. That’s why the TV takes care of everything that matters – work, friends, entertainment, and even the memorable moments. The Smart 7-in-1 TV transforms into a virtual cloud to automatically store your favourite moments. The pictures and videos of smartphone are transferred automatically and wirelessly without an internet connection to the USB drive connected to the TV which is password protected. So, you can be sure that all your intangible belongings are safe!

All This At a Never Before Price

The 32 inch (80 cm) Smart 7-in-1 TV is priced at INR 22,500 and is available on Flipkart at an attractive no cost EMI of INR 999. The 40 inch variant will be priced at INR 33,900 when it is launched in the fourth week of August.

Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics and mobile phone brand, today announced its new online exclusive range of TVs – The Frame and Smart 7-in-1 TV. A revolutionary lifestyle TV – The Frame – offers a perfect balance of technology, functionality and aesthetics. The new Samsung Smart 7-in-1 TVs have been designed for young millennials and consumers of online content, available in 32 inch and 40 inch variants.

The Frame (55 inch, 138 cm) will be exclusively available on Flipkart and Samsung’s official online store Samsung Shop, at a no cost EMI of INR 4,999, starting August 12, 2019. The 32 inch (80 cm) Samsung Smart 7-in-1 TV is available on Flipkart and Samsung’s official online store Samsung Shop at an easy no cost EMI of INR 999 while the 40 inch (100 cm) Samsung Smart 7-in-1 TV will go live on Amazon and Samsung Shop in the fourth week of August.

The Frame offers superior picture quality with QLED technology and transforms the TV into a picture frame that can show 1,000+ artworks from around the world. The QLED technology enables beautiful colors, exceptional contrasts and impeccable details with 100% color volume. The Frame also has in-built motion and brightness sensors. When it is not being used as a TV, The Frame moves into Art Mode and displays digital pieces of art to turn an everyday living space into an art gallery. Just like how a framed picture looks different depending on the time of day, The Frame adjusts the screen brightness based on the ambient.

The new online exclusive Samsung Smart 7-in-1 range of TVs are equipped with seven ultra-smart innovations. They come with a Content Guide that shows and recommends content and pre-built video-on-demand apps such as Netflix, Prime Video and Zee5. It also comes with features such as Personal Computer, Music System, Home Cloud, Live Cast and Screen Mirroring. Along with the revolutionary smart features, the Smart 7-in-1 TV has unmatched picture quality with superior colors, stunning details and contrast levels, elevating your home entertainment experience to a whole new level.

Price and Offers

The Frame (55 inch, 138 cm) is priced at INR 1,19,999 with an easy no cost EMI of INR 4,999 on Flipkart.

The 32 inch (80 cm) Smart 7-in-1 TV is priced at INR 22,500 and is available on Flipkart at an attractive no cost EMI of INR 999. The 40 inch variant will be priced at INR 33,900 when it is launched in the fourth week of August.

The Frame: Lifestyle TV

Art Mode: The Frame gives meaning to TV even when it’s switched off. When you are not watching TV, instead of it being a black screen, you can use it as a picture frame that displays artwork and photos just like they would be on paper, film or canvas.

Art Store: Through the Art Store, you can transform your TV into a picture frame that shows 1,000+ artworks from around the world. Users can get access to a growing library of artwork from world renowned institutions by selecting pieces individually or signing up for a membership to get unlimited access.

See the world in QLED: Watch details come to life with beautiful colors, exceptional contrasts and impeccable details. The Frame delivers on the promise with 100% color volume that shows realistic colors no matter how bright or dark the scene gets. The Frame comes with Samsung’s Quantum Dot technology and HDR 10+ that brings all pictures to life, showing everything the director wanted us to see.

Intelligent sensors: The Frame also comes with motion and brightness sensors. When you’re nearby, the motion sensor detects your presence and turns the TV display into artwork, so you can enjoy your favorite art while you’re there. When you leave, it turns off to save energy. By detecting ambient light, the brightness sensor automatically balances the screen’s brightness and color tone for a natural illumination. So whether it’s day or night, you can see your art how it was meant to be seen.

Voice Assistants: You can talk to The Frame. The Frame works with Bixby and Google Assistant to make your life easier. Change channels, adjust the volume, control playback and more with just your voice.

Smart Home: The Frame can connect wirelessly with a wide range of smart devices and make them work together with the SmartThings App and One Remote Control. With AirPlay 2 also built in, you can stream or share content from Apple devices to The Frame effortlessly.

Smart 7-in-1 TV: Seven unique features in one TV

Personal Computer: The new online Smart 7-in-1 TV allows one to transform the television to one’s own personal computer. It enables consumers to create documents or work from the cloud such as creating official presentations. Users can remotely access their laptop or personal computer from any location over internet. The Smart 7-in-1 TV is secured by multi-layered Knox for unmatched security and provides seamless access to Microsoft Office 365 services over cloud.

Music System: The new Samsung Smart 7-in-1 TV provides a comprehensive visual experience by turning into a virtual music system, allowing consumers to choose from a library of skins with different color options.

Home Cloud: Samsung Smart 7-in-1 TV transforms into a virtual cloud to automatically store one’s favorite moments. The pictures and videos of smartphone are transferred automatically and wirelessly without an internet connection on to the USB drive connected to the TV which is password protected.

Live Cast: This feature allows the consumer to seamlessly stream live moments from any remote location on to their Smart 7-in-1 TV over internet via smartphone and enables the consumers to smoothly share a live stream with anyone having access to the user’s Smart 7-in-1 TV.

Screen Mirroring: This feature allows the smartphone and Smart TV to work in harmony elevating the overall user experience. The user can play music and videos from their phone onto their Smart 7-in-1 TV without internet to maximize their entertainment.

Content Guide: Content Guide is an advanced program guide that helps users find content to fit their tastes. Content Guide not only shows you popular shows and content, it recommends content.

Netflix, Prime Video & Zee5 Supported: Users can enjoy the best online streaming content on a big screen through pre-build video on-demand apps such as Netflix, Prime Video and Zee5. With 100K+ titles and 1 lakh+ hours of international and national content in 10+ local languages, the consumer can get immersed in a world of entertainment never seen before.

Samsung Electronics today launched its flagship premium line-up of QLED TVs in India and showcased its innovative TV, The Frame, redefining the future of home entertainment with cutting-edge TV technology and style.

The ‘TV of Light’, a name given to Samsung QLED TV for its delivery of optimal brightness levels and stunning visual experience, is ushering in a new era for televisions and transforming the living room of tomorrow with its focus on the lifestyle TV concept. With this, India’s number one TV brand will further consolidate its leadership in the market.

QLED TVs come with four global first innovations. They achieve 100% Colour Volume, the HDR 2000 functionality brings out hidden details, an Invisible Connection keeps your living room clutter free and One Remote Control offers an intuitive experience. Along with these, the No Gap Wall-mount and the optional easel-like Studio Stand light up the aesthetics of your home. Fusing a slim, sleek and premium metal body with a nearly bezel-less display, QLED TVs set the tone for exceptional sophistication.

Samsung also showcased its newest innovation – The Frame. Instead of fading to black like a conventional TV, The Frame’s display transforms into a work of art, letting users select from a collection of more than 100 art pieces in 10 different categories, including landscape, architecture, wildlife, action, drawing and more. Paired with numerous options for art layouts and colours, as well as customizable accessory options including interchangeable bezels and an optional Studio Stand, it truly complements the user’s living space.

Mr. HC Hong, President and CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia, said, “Samsung’s QLED TVs are ushering in a new era for televisions, with innovations that are ahead of their time. These televisions reflect our global ambition. Samsung has been the world’s biggest television brand for the last 11 consecutive years. We are also India’s top television brand for the last decade and the most trusted brand in the consumer electronics category.”

Mr. HC Hong, President and CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia and Mr. Rajeev Bhutani, Vice President, Consumer Electronics Business, Samsung India at the launch of QLED TV

“QLED TV, powered by Samsung’s quantum dot technology, provides true-to-life images that no other TV can match. It empowers you to think about the television in a new way, bringing art and entertainment into new parts of your home. The QLED TV is as beautiful when turned off as it is when it’s on and will help us grow the demand for premium TVs as well as our market share in India even further,” said Mr. Rajeev Bhutani, Vice President, Consumer Electronics Business, Samsung India.

The QLED TVs have been designed with the consumer in mind and focus on addressing three key consumer pain points through solutions known as Q Picture, Q Style and Q Smart.

Q Picture: Turns Light into Perfect Colour

The newly-announced QLED TV takes quantum dot technology to the next level with advancements in light efficiency, stability and a wider colour spectrum. With new metal alloy quantum dots, the QLED TV addresses all major aspects of picture quality, including colour volume, brightness, bold contrast and viewing angle. QLED TV can express accurate colour and achieves a 100% colour volume – the highest in the market today, earning accreditation from Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker (VDE), one of Europe’s largest technical-scientific associations.

QLED TV’s advanced HDR 2000 functionality allows users to see every hidden detail as it was meant to be seen, with no loss or distortion of colour. In addition, QLED TVs rich, deep black levels and bold contrast provide a consistent viewing experience regardless of a room’s lighting.

Q Style: Design Your Space

This year, Samsung introduced new design elements that can fit into any home regardless of the interior aesthetics or setup. The all-new Invisible Connection cable helps manage unsightly cords and clutter with a refined, single cord system. Consumers can now design their space with a single optical cable that brings all devices together, reclaiming the living room space once occupied by set-top boxes and external devices.

Samsung has also introduced the No Gap wall-mount which brings the TV flush against the wall, closer than ever before. For those who do not wish to mount their TVs onto the wall, there is also a range of Samsung TV stands. Consumers can use the stylish metal stand that accompanies the TV or buy the Studio Stand that is designed like an easel and is an ideal accompaniment for any artist-inspired living space.

Q Smart: Control Devices and Content with One Remote Control

Samsung is focused on the continued evolution of its much lauded Smart TV offering, giving people the simple, unified user experience they want for all their entertainment content. With the Samsung One Remote, consumers can control most connected TV devices with just one remote control. The enhanced Samsung One Remote now supports more devices and offers voice control capabilities across more Smart TV features.

In addition, Samsung’s latest Smart View App allows users to seamlessly share content from their smartphones to the TV. Users can enjoy a more personalized experience with the new ‘Smart Hub’ interface on the ‘Smart View’ app, The Smart View app supports both Android and iOS mobile devices.

QLED TVs will be launched in three series, Q9, Q8 and Q7, in 55 inches (138 cm), 65 inches (163 cm), 75 inches (189 cm) and 88 inches (223 cm), starting May 2017. QLED TVs will be priced between INR 3,14,900 and INR 24,99,900 in India.

Consumers can pre-book their QLED TVs between May 2 and May 21 to avail the special pre-book offer of a free Samsung Galaxy S8+ (Gold). For more details on the pre-book offer, consumers can visit: www.samsung.com/in/microsite/qledtv/