The painting has been assigned to someone else, so I know I don't mess with that.
yes the paintings are dealt with in a separate section
no that is only for footnotes. You can simply start by reading the editor's note as it's written in the book, ending simply with "... the editor", like it is written in the book. I myself would use a bit of a different tone of voice and make a short break if I insert an editor's comment in a text, to set it a bit apart from the rest of the text, but that's up to you. It will become clear which is an editor's text and which is the poem.How are the editor's notes read aloud? Like footnotes: "Editor's note: ... The Editor. End of Editor's note"?
Sonia