Description
Circles on Black is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1921: on a black ground, a broad band of blue, green and yellow stripes sweeps past a large grey circle, surrounded by small bright forms, dots and saw-toothed strips. The original belongs to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. We make it as a hand-painted reproduction in oil on canvas, in seven sizes or made to measure, and before dispatch you receive a photograph of the finished work to approve.
| Title: | Circles on Black |
| Other titles: | Kreise auf Schwarz |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1921 |
| Original size: | 120 cm x 136 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on canvas |
| Available sizes: | seven sizes from 60 x 70 cm to 150 x 170 cm |
| Location: | Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
Circles on Black – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
The ground is deep black. A diagonal edge cuts off a large cream-white area at the upper right, and a broad pale pink shape with a wavy outline rises at the lower left. Across the middle a wide curved band of pale blue, green and yellow stripes climbs like a rainbow from lower left to upper right. At its bend sits a large grey circle, mottled like stone and cut by a black wedge. At the upper left is a white circle with a scalloped pink rim, holding a dark blue drop with a pink eye, a green and pink crescent and a yellow dotted shape. From it hang white ribbons with coloured dots and yellow squares, woven into a lattice across the band. A black crescent arches over the pale corner, beside a small pink half circle. Right of the grey circle stands a white fan of tiny flowers with two black-outlined bean shapes dotted with red, under a small red and green arc. Thin white lines and yellow-green saw-toothed strips reach towards the lower right. Beneath the grey circle hang red and blue shards and a pale yellow crescent, and near the bottom white bean shapes with red dots float among specks of colour. On the left are thin yellow and red curves and a blue and white saw-toothed arc.
Light forms on black
The black ground makes every colour shine more strongly. The broad striped band carries the eye diagonally from the lower left to the upper right, while the heavy grey circle anchors it in the centre. The pale areas in two opposite corners balance each other, and the lively details, dots, lattices and saw teeth, are spread around the edges, so the eye travels in a slow circle. Soft curves meet sharp points, and the cool band meets warm pink and red accents. Nothing stands still, yet everything is in its place. Every corner offers the eye something. On the wall it looks bold and festive, and up close it keeps revealing small forms you did not notice at first.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1921. The original is 136 cm high and 120 cm wide and belongs to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 120 x 136 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 dark ground gives the painting great strength, so it needs a calm, light wall on which it can really glow. It suits a modern room with white or light grey walls best; next to other dark works on the same wall it would lose its force. 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 90 and 97 x 106 cm, where the details come into their own. The 60 x 70 and 70 x 80 cm sizes suit the wall above a desk or a hallway, and 110 x 120, 130 x 140 and 150 x 170 cm a large wall above a sofa or in an entrance hall. All seven 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 black or dark wooden frame, because it continues the dark ground, while a wide, ornate gold frame would compete with the colours in the centre.
Delivery and guarantee
Because every painting on canvas is painted only after you order, in our studio in Slovenia, 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. 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 136 cm. We give the width first; the height is 136 cm. Our largest size is 150 x 170 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1921.
What does the painting show?
Nothing figurative: on a black ground, a wide band in blue, green and yellow, a large grey circle, a white circle with coloured forms, dotted ribbons, saw-toothed strips and pale areas in two 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 80 x 90 and 97 x 106 cm work best, above a desk or in a hallway 60 x 70 and 70 x 80 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 striped band, a large grey circle and small bright forms on a black ground with pale corners
- Original: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1921, 120 x 136 cm
- Our version: hand-painted oil on canvas, seven sizes from 60 x 70 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
