diff --git a/include/wx/artprov.h b/include/wx/artprov.h
index 3bba43e060..4a862d3f58 100644
--- a/include/wx/artprov.h
+++ b/include/wx/artprov.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 
 class WXDLLEXPORT wxArtProvidersList;
 class WXDLLEXPORT wxArtProviderCache;
+class wxArtProviderModule;
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Types
@@ -113,10 +114,13 @@ public:
                           const wxArtClient& client = wxART_OTHER,
                           const wxSize& size = wxDefaultSize);
 
+protected:
+    friend class wxArtProviderModule;
+    // Initializes default provider
+    static void InitStdProvider();
     // Destroy caches & all providers
     static void CleanUpProviders();
 
-protected:
     // Derived classes must override this method to create requested 
     // art resource. This method is called only once per instance's
     // lifetime for each requested wxArtID.
diff --git a/src/common/artprov.cpp b/src/common/artprov.cpp
index 64b87d781e..194219d32d 100644
--- a/src/common/artprov.cpp
+++ b/src/common/artprov.cpp
@@ -207,8 +207,15 @@ wxArtProviderCache *wxArtProvider::sm_cache = NULL;
 class wxArtProviderModule: public wxModule
 {
 public:
-    bool OnInit() { return TRUE; }
-    void OnExit() { wxArtProvider::CleanUpProviders(); }
+    bool OnInit()
+    {
+        wxArtProvider::InitStdProvider();
+        return TRUE;
+    }
+    void OnExit()
+    {
+        wxArtProvider::CleanUpProviders();
+    }
 
     DECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxArtProviderModule)
 };
diff --git a/src/common/artstd.cpp b/src/common/artstd.cpp
index 9a8e4f53eb..31b4355928 100644
--- a/src/common/artstd.cpp
+++ b/src/common/artstd.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 #endif
 
 #include "wx/artprov.h"
-#include "wx/module.h"
 
 // For the purposes of forcing this module to link
 char g_ArtProviderModule = 0;
@@ -93,23 +92,20 @@ protected:
     }
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// wxDefaultArtProviderModule
+// wxArtProvider::InitStdProvider
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-class wxDefaultArtProviderModule: public wxModule
+/*static*/ void wxArtProvider::InitStdProvider()
 {
-public:
-    bool OnInit() 
-    {
-        wxArtProvider::PushProvider(new wxDefaultArtProvider);
-        return TRUE; 
-    }
-    void OnExit() {}
+    // NB: A few notes about this function:
+    //     (1) it is in artstd.cpp and not in artprov.cpp on purpose. I wanted
+    //         to avoid declaring wxDefaultArtProvider in any public header as
+    //         it is only an implementation detail
+    //     (2) other default art providers (e.g. GTK one) should NOT be added
+    //         here. Instead, add them in port-specific initialialization code
 
-    DECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxDefaultArtProviderModule)
-};
-
-IMPLEMENT_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxDefaultArtProviderModule, wxModule)
+    wxArtProvider::PushProvider(new wxDefaultArtProvider);
+}
 
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------