Description
Black Spot is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1921: on a pale cream ground, thin black lines, coloured circles, a wavy line and soft patches of colour interweave around a large black spot in a red glow. The original belongs to the Kunsthaus Zürich. 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 Spot |
| Other titles: | Schwarzer Fleck |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1921 |
| Original size: | 120 cm x 138 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on canvas |
| Available sizes: | eight sizes from 50 x 55 cm to 150 x 170 cm |
| Location: | Kunsthaus Zürich |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
Black Spot – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
The ground is pale cream, faintly bluish at the left edge and yellowish at the right. Right of centre in the upper half lies the largest form, a rounded black spot wrapped in a red glow fading into pink. At the upper left a ragged black mass sends a long black arc sweeping across the top to the right, trailing thin parallel lines and a pale yellow band; below it sits a small green patch. At the upper right black blots end in feathery brown tufts, beside a small black cross of lines. On the left a black-cored green circle sits beside a black oval in a yellow glow, topped by a white, lace-like shape. Long, thin black lines cross the surface diagonally. Through the middle a black-edged wavy ochre line runs down beside a violet strip, a green strip and a heavy black bar, while fine black grids and comb-like strokes spread to the right. A small yellow circle glows at the right edge; below it an upright black form stands in a brown-ochre glow. At the lower left is a large blue circle crossed by black lines, with a tiny red dot above it. In the lower centre a pale, boat-like shape holds a red spot in a green ring, and near the bottom sits a pink-red circle.
Spot, lines and glow
Everything turns around the black spot. Its weight and red glow draw the eye first into the upper half, then the long diagonals lead it downwards, to the blue circle at the lower left and the pink circle by the bottom edge. Sharp, thin lines meet soft, blurred patches of colour, so the surface feels tense and light at the same time. The colours are gathered into small, strong accents of red, blue, yellow and green, while large areas stay pale and give the work room to breathe. The eye keeps jumping from form to form and finds a new connection each time. No detail is left on its own. On the wall it therefore looks lively and open, yet gathered around one strong centre.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1921. The original is 138 cm high and 120 cm wide and belongs to the Kunsthaus Zürich. On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 120 x 138 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 Kunsthaus Zürich. The work is recorded in Wikidata, and the photograph we paint from is on Wikimedia Commons.
How big is the original?
It measures 120 x 138 cm. We give the width first; the height is 138 cm. Our largest size is 150 x 170 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1921.
What does the painting show?
Nothing figurative: a large black spot in a red glow on a pale ground, surrounded by thin black lines, grids, a wavy line, blue, yellow and pink circles and soft patches of colour.
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: a large black spot in a red glow, thin black lines and coloured circles on a pale cream ground
- Original: Kunsthaus Zürich, 1921, 120 x 138 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
