What you're talking about isn't an "ideal viewing distance," sorry. "Stand back so you can see it" doesn't tell the OP anything - and sometimes isn't even true.
A 24x30 Rothko rip-off does not have the same appropriate viewing space as a 24x30 piece of finely detailed photorealism. Even palette can effect this - a brightly colored work needs more distance, IMO (but not in everyone's - hence the non-existence of a uniform ideal).
A 4x5 contact print photograph might look best anywhere from inches away to a couple of feet.
A 24x30 Rothko rip-off does not have the same appropriate viewing space as a 24x30 piece of finely detailed photorealism. Even palette can effect this - a brightly colored work needs more distance, IMO (but not in everyone's - hence the non-existence of a uniform ideal).
A 4x5 contact print photograph might look best anywhere from inches away to a couple of feet.
