Description
Sketch for Composition II is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1910: a crowded scene in saturated colour, with a white diagonal band, a row of upright figures at the lower left, reclining shapes in the middle and a tree-like arch at the upper right. The original belongs to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. 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: | Sketch for Composition II |
| Other titles: | Skizze für Komposition II |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1910 |
| Original size: | 130.5 cm x 97.5 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on canvas |
| Available sizes: | eight sizes from 50 x 40 cm to 180 x 130 cm |
| Location: | Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (inv. no. 45.961) |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
Sketch for Composition II – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
Saturated colour fills the canvas: red, yellow, blue, green and violet lie side by side in dense strokes, with black lines outlining many forms. A broad white band runs diagonally from the left edge down towards the centre, and a white vertical shape rises from the centre to the top edge. The upper left is dark blue-green, with a brown patch in the corner, a white zigzag and a blue form. Below it, on a violet and blue shape like a boat, stands a small yellow figure with outstretched arms. At the lower left four upright figures stand in a row, with round dark heads and long bodies in red, pink, violet and yellow. In the middle a pale shape like a reclining figure lies diagonally across a blue and white mass, above a large red, orange and brown mound. At the upper right black lines hanging in an arch, dotted with red and green, recall a tree with drooping branches over a yellow form. To its left a tall brown form with a small face recalls a standing figure. On the right a red shape and a violet shape lie over yellow, and a pale reclining shape rests by the right edge. The lower right is filled with blue, white and yellow strokes and small coloured flecks.
Order in a crowded scene
The composition is crowded from edge to edge, yet two diagonals give it order: the white band falling from the upper left and the pale reclining shape in the middle both lead the eye towards the centre. The white vertical form at the top answers them and divides the canvas into a left and a right half. On the left the row of upright figures sets a steady rhythm, while on the right the hanging arch of lines and the scattered shapes feel looser. The large red mound gives the lower half weight, and the blue around it cools its warmth. Black outlines hold the dense, bright colour together. On the wall the painting therefore looks lively and full, with something new to find at every look.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1910. The original is 97.5 cm high and 130.5 cm wide and belongs to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (inv. no. 45.961). On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 130.5 x 97.5 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 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 80 x 60 and 90 x 70 cm, where the details come into their own. The 50 x 40 and 70 x 50 cm sizes suit the wall above a desk or a hallway, and 110 x 80, 130 x 97, 150 x 112 and 180 x 130 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 Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (inv. no. 45.961). The work is recorded in Wikidata, and the photograph we paint from is on Wikimedia Commons.
How big is the original?
It measures 130.5 x 97.5 cm. We give the width first; the height is 97.5 cm. Our largest size is 180 x 130 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1910.
What does the painting show?
A crowded scene in saturated colour, with a row of upright figures at the lower left, a small figure with outstretched arms, a pale reclining shape, a tree-like arch and a red mound.
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 80 x 60 and 90 x 70 cm work best, above a desk or in a hallway 50 x 40 and 70 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: a row of upright figures, reclining shapes, a tree-like arch and a red mound in saturated colour
- Original: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1910, 130.5 x 97.5 cm
- Our version: hand-painted oil on canvas, eight sizes from 50 x 40 to 180 x 130 cm, on a wooden stretcher, framed on request
- Worth knowing: every painting is photographed before dispatch and sent to you for approval
