Description
On White II is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1923: on a pale ground two black diagonals cross at the centre, surrounded by triangles, grids, a black ring, a violet hook and small brightly coloured forms. 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: | On White II |
| Other titles: | Auf Weiß II |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1923 |
| Original size: | 98 cm x 105 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on canvas |
| Available sizes: | eight sizes from 40 x 40 cm to 150 x 160 cm |
| Location: | Musée National d’Art Moderne (inv. no. AM 1976-855) |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
On White II – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
The ground is a pale, faintly greyish white, and a dense cluster of forms gathers in its middle. Two black diagonals cross at the centre: a thick bar rises from the lower left and narrows towards the upper right corner, while a second line runs from left of centre down towards the lower right, tapering to a point. Behind the crossing lies a large olive-brown square turned on its corner, with a black zigzag form across it. At the upper left a large yellow triangle points towards the corner, fine curved black lines fan out across it, and a small pink dot stands above them. Further down on the left is a red triangle over a dark maroon plane, and below them a pale blue square. Above the crossing is a black ring with a white centre and a small red dot, higher up a red angular shape crossed by a black bar, and beneath it a small chequered block. On the right curves a large violet hook with a white dot at its top, with a black and white grid to its left and a coloured grid over red, blue and yellow planes to its right. Above the hook a small yellow wedge points to the upper right, with a tiny black square beyond it. Below the centre an orange-brown rectangle is scattered with cream crescents dotted in red, lying over a yellow triangle that points downwards. A row of brown and black arcs runs along the thick bar at the lower left, and three parallel black bars lie at the lower right.
Two crossing diagonals
The two crossing diagonals give the composition its structure: everything else gathers around their meeting point, and the eye keeps returning there. Sharp triangles and straight bars are balanced by softer curves, the violet hook, the black ring and the rows of arcs. The warm colours, red, yellow and orange, lie mostly on the left and below, while violet and blue mark the right side. Around the dense centre the pale ground stays open, so the forms seem to float with space to spare. Small details, chequered grids, dots and crescents, reward a closer look. The three parallel bars at the lower right repeat the direction of the diagonal running down to the right and lead the eye back into the centre. On the wall the painting therefore looks lively and tightly ordered at the same time.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1923. The original is 105 cm high and 98 cm wide and belongs to the Musée National d’Art Moderne (inv. no. AM 1976-855). On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 98 x 105 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 60 x 60 and 70 x 80 cm, where the details come into their own. The 40 x 40 and 50 x 50 cm sizes suit the wall above a desk or a hallway, and 80 x 90, 90 x 100, 98 x 105 and 150 x 160 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 Musée National d’Art Moderne (inv. no. AM 1976-855). The work is recorded in Wikidata, and the photograph we paint from is on Wikimedia Commons.
How big is the original?
It measures 98 x 105 cm. We give the width first; the height is 105 cm. Our largest size is 150 x 160 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1923.
What does the painting show?
Nothing figurative: geometric forms on a pale ground, two crossing black diagonals, a yellow and a red triangle, an olive-brown square, a black ring, a violet hook and chequered grids.
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 60 x 60 and 70 x 80 cm work best, above a desk or in a hallway 40 x 40 and 50 x 50 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: triangles, grids and a violet hook around two crossing black diagonals on a pale ground
- Original: Musée National d’Art Moderne, 1923, 98 x 105 cm
- Our version: hand-painted oil on canvas, eight sizes from 40 x 40 to 150 x 160 cm, on a wooden stretcher, framed on request
- Worth knowing: every painting is photographed before dispatch and sent to you for approval
