Description
Black Form is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1923: on a pale ground, a large black form with white zigzags rises beside a green circle, surrounded by coloured circles, small squares and black lines. The original belongs to the Neue Galerie. 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: | Black Form |
| Other titles: | Schwarze Form |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1923 |
| Original size: | 97 cm x 110 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on canvas |
| Available sizes: | eight sizes from 50 x 55 cm to 150 x 170 cm |
| Location: | Neue Galerie |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
Black Form – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
The ground is pale, almost white, faintly pink, and a soft pink triangle fills the upper right corner. In the centre of the lower half rises a large, ragged black form crossed by white zigzag lines; at its top a spur bends left into a curl. At the lower left is a big black-rimmed green circle, containing white scalloped lines, two yellow claws, a blue dot and a short red and a pale violet bar. A thin black line cuts diagonally through it; a thick black stroke runs from the upper left down to the black form. High on the left edge a yellow square stands above a violet one, with crossed black lines nearby. In the upper half float a raspberry red patch on the left, a violet circle partly covering a pale blue one on the right, and a dark blue half disc beside a pink and a yellow circle, with an ochre band beyond. A small red dot shows above the black form. On the left stands out a dark blue wedge with a white zigzag, on the right two jagged black wedges. A pink arc curves along the lower left edge, curved black lines sweep upwards at the lower right, and a red wedge lies below the black form.
Weight and lightness
The composition swings between weight and lightness. The heavy black form and the green circle anchor the lower half, while the pale ground above leaves room for small, loose shapes that seem to float. Two diagonals pull the eye across the canvas: the thick black stroke from the upper left and the thin line through the green circle. From the black form the eye moves up to the dark blue half disc and the coloured circles, then out to the jagged black wedges on the right and down through the curved lines. Strong black and green meet soft pink, violet and yellow, so the whole feels lively yet light, with a new detail in every corner.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1923. The original is 110 cm high and 97 cm wide and belongs to the Neue Galerie. On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 97 x 110 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 painting is light in tone, so it suits a modern or minimalist room with white or light grey walls best, where it becomes the one strong accent. It also works in a study; next to a very busy wallpaper it would be lost. 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 80 and 80 x 90 cm, where the details come into their own. The 50 x 55 and 60 x 70 cm sizes suit the wall above a desk or a hallway, and 97 x 106, 110 x 120, 130 x 140 and 150 x 170 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 white or light-wood frame, because it does not disturb the pale ground, while a dark or wide gold frame would draw more attention than the work itself.
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 Neue Galerie. The work is recorded in Wikidata, and the photograph we paint from is on Wikimedia Commons.
How big is the original?
It measures 97 x 110 cm. We give the width first; the height is 110 cm. Our largest size is 150 x 170 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1923.
What does the painting show?
Nothing figurative: a large black form with white zigzags and a green circle on a pale ground, surrounded by coloured circles, small squares, jagged wedges and sweeping black lines.
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 80 and 80 x 90 cm work best, above a desk or in a hallway 50 x 55 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: black form and green circle among coloured circles, squares and black lines on a pale ground
- Original: Neue Galerie, 1923, 97 x 110 cm
- Our version: hand-painted oil on canvas, eight sizes from 50 x 55 to 150 x 170 cm, on a wooden stretcher, framed on request
- Worth knowing: every painting is photographed before dispatch and sent to you for approval
