Description
Accent on Pink is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1926: on a dark blue-black ground lies a large tilted sand-yellow form, with a grey square full of circles in its centre and a large pink circle at the upper right. The original belongs to the Musée National d’Art Moderne. We make it as a hand-painted reproduction in oil on canvas, in eight sizes or made to measure, and before dispatch you receive a photograph of the finished work to approve.
| Title: | Accent on Pink |
| Other titles: | Akzent in Rosa |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1926 |
| Original size: | 80.5 cm x 100.5 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on canvas |
| Available sizes: | eight sizes from 50 x 60 cm to 180 x 220 cm |
| Location: | Musée National d’Art Moderne (inv. no. AM 1976-857) |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
Accent on Pink – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
The ground is dark, a deep blue-black with violet tones, and across it lies a large sand-yellow quadrilateral, tilted so that its corners point up, down, left and right. In its centre is a grey square filled with overlapping circles in black, dark violet, blue, white and pink; the largest, a dark violet one, lies at its lower edge. At the upper right of the yellow form is a large pink circle with a softly glowing red rim, and above the grey square, near the top, a small red square. Several small circles in yellow, blue, red and turquoise are scattered around the grey square. Lower down on the yellow form lie a pink circle in a grey ring and, on the right, a small orange square. On the dark ground each circle glows with a soft halo: at the upper left are a large black circle in a grey-blue ring and a small blue one, at the upper right an olive circle in a pale violet glow, and along the right edge several small red, blue and turquoise circles. At the lower left are a brown circle and a small turquoise one, and on the lower edges of the yellow form lie a large dark green circle on the left and a large blue-green circle on the right.
Yellow on dark
The composition rests on the contrast between the dark ground and the light yellow form. The tilted quadrilateral gives the whole a slow turning movement, and the grey square in its centre anchors it like a still point. The large pink circle at the upper right is the strongest accent and draws the eye first; from there the eye moves to the dense cluster in the grey square and then out to the small circles scattered like lights across the dark. The two large circles on the lower edges balance the pink one above. Every circle keeps its own soft halo, so even the smallest ones stand out against the dark. On the wall it feels quiet and deep, yet full of small events.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1926. The original is 100.5 cm high and 80.5 cm wide and belongs to the Musée National d’Art Moderne (inv. no. AM 1976-857). On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 80.5 x 100.5 cm here. Our painter works from a public-domain photograph of the original, so the subject can be carried faithfully onto the canvas, from the arrangement of the forms to the individual shades of colour.
How is our hand-painted version made?
The painter works from a high-resolution reference and builds the painting up in layers, with brush and oil paint. First the arrangement of the main forms is sketched in thin paint, then the colours go on layer by layer, from the large areas down to the smallest details. The edges of the forms and the transitions between colours are compared with the reference until the proportions match. An oil painting reproduction keeps its colours for many years, because oil does not fade the way a print does. Since every reproduction is made individually, no two copies match down to the last detail; the subject, the proportions and the colours do. Depending on the size, painting takes several days, and the paint then needs enough time to dry before the canvas is packed.
Hand-painted, not printed
You can see the difference between a print and a hand-painted canvas as soon as you look at the work from the side: the brushstrokes form a slight relief that shows in raking light and can be felt with the fingertips. Whether it is a landscape, a figurative subject or an abstract painting, every shade is mixed on the palette and applied by hand. Before dispatch we photograph the finished work and send you the photograph to approve, so you know exactly what you will receive. Only when you are happy does it go on its way. Small irregularities in the brushwork are not flaws but the trace of the hand that painted it, and they are exactly what makes each copy one of a kind.
Which interior suits it?
The dark ground gives the painting great strength, so it needs a calm, light wall on which it can really glow. It suits a modern room with white or light grey walls best; next to other dark works on the same wall it would lose its force. Hang it with its centre at about eye level, roughly 150 cm from the floor; above a sofa or sideboard, leave a gap of 20 to 30 cm. In a bedroom a medium size above the bed works well, and in a hallway or on a narrow wall a smaller size hung at eye level.
Which size for which wall?
As a painting for the living room it works best at 70 x 90 and 90 x 110 cm, where the details come into their own. The 50 x 60 and 60 x 70 cm sizes suit the wall above a desk or a hallway, and 111 x 139, 130 x 160, 150 x 190 and 180 x 220 cm a large wall above a sofa or in an entrance hall. All eight sizes are listed in the size selector; the price depends on the size you choose. A simple rule helps: above a sofa or a sideboard the painting looks best at about two thirds of the furniture’s width, and on an empty wall choose a size that leaves at least 30 to 40 cm of free wall on each side.
Custom sizes, stretcher and frame
If none of the sizes fits your wall, we paint this Kandinsky reproduction to your measurements; that is our painting made to measure, and we tell you how the composition adapts to the new proportions. Every canvas is stretched on a wooden stretcher. A frame is optional and not included in the base price. If you would like a frame, the best choice for this work is a narrow black or dark wooden frame, because it continues the dark ground, while a wide, ornate gold frame would compete with the colours in the centre.
Delivery and guarantee
Because every painting on canvas is painted only after you order, in our studio, allow 15 to 45 days depending on the size you choose. We ship protected, insured and tracked, within the EU without customs. If anything is wrong on arrival, get in touch and we will put it right. All our works by Kandinsky are collected in the Wassily Kandinsky gallery, and the painter is introduced in our article about Wassily Kandinsky. Related works we paint include Red Spot II, White Cross and Succession.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the original?
It belongs to the Musée National d’Art Moderne (inv. no. AM 1976-857). The work is recorded in Wikidata, and the photograph we paint from is on Wikimedia Commons.
How big is the original?
It measures 80.5 x 100.5 cm. We give the width first; the height is 100.5 cm. Our largest size is 180 x 220 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1926.
What does the painting show?
Nothing figurative: a large tilted sand-yellow form on a dark ground, with a grey square full of overlapping circles in the centre, a large pink circle at the upper right and many small circles.
Is this a print?
No. It is a canvas painting, painted by hand in oil; the brushstrokes show in raking light and can be felt with the fingertips.
Which size should I choose?
For a living room 70 x 90 and 90 x 110 cm work best, above a desk or in a hallway 50 x 60 and 60 x 70 cm. Before deciding, tape a sheet of paper of the chosen size to the wall and leave it there for a day.
Can I have a size that is not on the list?
Yes. We also paint sizes outside the list and tell you how the forms will be arranged.
How is it delivered?
Insured and tracked, within the EU without customs. Before dispatch you receive a photograph of the finished painting to approve.
How do I care for the painting?
Remove dust with a soft, dry brush or cloth, without water or cleaning agents. Hang the painting away from direct sun, radiators and damp, and it will keep its colours for many years.
Is the original for sale, and what is it worth?
It is not for sale and has no market price. It belongs to a museum collection and stays there; what we offer is a hand-painted copy, not the original, and we never confuse the two.
Is the painting suitable as a gift?
Yes, especially for someone who loves Kandinsky’s forms and colours. If you are unsure about the subject or the size, there is a gift voucher, and the choice stays with the person who receives it.
- Subject: a tilted sand-yellow form on a dark ground, with a large pink circle and many small circles
- Original: Musée National d’Art Moderne, 1926, 80.5 x 100.5 cm
- Our version: hand-painted oil on canvas, eight sizes from 50 x 60 to 180 x 220 cm, on a wooden stretcher, framed on request
- Worth knowing: every painting is photographed before dispatch and sent to you for approval
