Description
Mountain is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1909: a tall mountain rises under a broad red arc between yellow and ochre upper corners, with a small cluster of coloured forms on its summit and two tall figures at its foot. The original belongs to the Lenbachhaus. 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: | Mountain |
| Other titles: | Berg |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1909 |
| Original size: | 109 cm x 109 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on canvas |
| Available sizes: | eight sizes from 60 x 60 cm to 180 x 180 cm |
| Location: | Lenbachhaus (inv. no. GMS 54) |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
Mountain – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
A great mountain fills the painting, outlined by a broad red band that curves like an arch from low on the left edge over the summit and down to the right edge. Inside the red runs a band of deep blue. Outside it, the upper corners glow in yellow and ochre, paler at the upper left with white and pale green strokes. On the summit, near the top centre, is a small cluster of black-outlined forms in pink, white, yellow, orange-red and green, recalling little buildings. The mountain’s body is made of patches of dark blue, light blue, green and white, opening into a broad white area in the middle and the lower half. Left of centre in the lower half stands a tall figure outlined in black, with a long bright red stripe and a small yellow head, and a white shape outlined in blue stretches to its right. Right of centre stands a second tall figure, white and pale yellow, outlined in black on its left. At the far right a tall dark grey and black arch reaches almost to the bottom, beside grey and white strokes. At the lower left a black zigzag line runs across an ochre field, and at the bottom centre is a small grey peak outlined in blue, among green patches.
A peak under a red arc
The composition is built like a great triangle. The red band and the blue beside it draw a strong arch that leads the eye straight up to the colourful summit, then lets it slide back down both slopes. Below, the two tall figures stand like pillars to the left and right of the white centre, and the dark arch at the right and the black zigzag at the lower left close the scene at its edges. Warm yellow, ochre and red surround cool blue, green and white, so the mountain seems to glow from within. The brushwork is broad and loose, which keeps the whole lively, and the eye keeps moving between the summit and the figures below. On the wall it therefore looks bright and full of energy.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1909. The original is 109 cm high and 109 cm wide and belongs to the Lenbachhaus (inv. no. GMS 54). On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 109 x 109 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 warm, saturated colours make the painting glow, so it looks good in a living room or dining room, next to natural wood and quiet furniture. It works best on a light, neutral wall; next to other very colourful works on the same wall the colours would drown each other out. 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 90 x 90 and 100 x 100 cm, where the details come into their own. The 60 x 60 and 70 x 70 cm sizes suit the wall above a desk or a hallway, and 110 x 110, 130 x 130, 150 x 150 and 180 x 180 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 natural or dark wooden frame, because it calms and holds the colours together, while a wide, ornate gold frame would compete with the painter’s colours.
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 Lenbachhaus (inv. no. GMS 54). The work is recorded in Wikidata, and the photograph we paint from is on Wikimedia Commons.
How big is the original?
It measures 109 x 109 cm. We give the width first; the height is 109 cm. Our largest size is 180 x 180 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1909.
What does the painting show?
A tall mountain outlined by a broad red arc, with small coloured forms on its summit, two tall figures at its foot and yellow and ochre in the upper corners.
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 90 x 90 and 100 x 100 cm work best, above a desk or in a hallway 60 x 60 and 70 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 tall mountain under a red arc, with coloured forms on the summit and two figures at its foot
- Original: Lenbachhaus, 1909, 109 x 109 cm
- Our version: hand-painted oil on canvas, eight sizes from 60 x 60 to 180 x 180 cm, on a wooden stretcher, framed on request
- Worth knowing: every painting is photographed before dispatch and sent to you for approval
