Description
Impression V is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1911: on a pale cream ground, broad patches of red, green, blue and orange interweave with black lines, an orange-red triangle rises at the top, and small figures in dark hats stand on the right. The original belongs to the Musée National d’Art Moderne. We make it as a hand-painted reproduction in oil on canvas, in five sizes or made to measure, and before dispatch you receive a photograph of the finished work to approve.
| Title: | Impression V |
| Other titles: | Impression V (Park) |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1911 |
| Original size: | 157.5 cm x 106 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on canvas |
| Available sizes: | five sizes from 80 x 50 cm to 160 x 110 cm |
| Location: | Musée National d’Art Moderne (inv. no. AM 1976-851) |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
Impression V – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
The ground is pale cream, spread with broad, loosely brushed patches of colour. At the upper left floats a small orange-red oval, and a long black line starts from the left edge, bends and sweeps to the right across the upper half, with short black strokes branching down. Above it, on a yellow patch, sits a dark olive figure that recalls a hunched person. In the upper middle a large orange-red triangle rises like a peak to the top edge, and a pale blue band runs beneath it. At the upper right yellow and orange streaks fan out like rays, dark grey and green patches fill the corner, and a slanting black line runs down from the top. In the middle right stand two small figures in dark hats on orange and yellow shapes, and a black line arches from them towards the right edge; further right a slanting red stripe falls, and a small figure with a red head sits on a yellow form. Below the centre a large pinkish red patch meets a slanting green one, and a black zigzag runs down to the lower left. The lower left holds green and light blue, the lower right a deep blue field, with an orange-red patch reaching down between them; along the bottom edge lies a pale blue strip.
Colour patches and black lines
The composition rests on the contrast between broad colour and drawn line. The large patches of red, green, orange and blue lie loosely and softly brushed, while the black lines cut across them, bend, break and tie the scattered shapes together. Warm red and orange sit against cool green and blue. The orange-red triangle at the top gives the eye a first resting point; from there it follows the long black line to the left, drops down the zigzag into the lower half and climbs again to the small figures on the right. The heavy blue at the lower right balances the green at the lower left, and pale cream between the patches keeps the whole light and airy. On the wall it looks fresh and full of movement.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1911. The original is 106 cm high and 157.5 cm wide and belongs to the Musée National d’Art Moderne (inv. no. AM 1976-851). On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 157.5 x 106 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 120 x 80 and 140 x 90 cm, where the details come into their own. The 80 x 50 and 100 x 70 cm sizes suit the wall above a desk or a hallway, and 160 x 110 cm a large wall above a sofa or in an entrance hall. All five 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 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 Musée National d’Art Moderne (inv. no. AM 1976-851). The work is recorded in Wikidata, and the photograph we paint from is on Wikimedia Commons.
How big is the original?
It measures 157.5 x 106 cm. We give the width first; the height is 106 cm. Our largest size is 160 x 110 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1911.
What does the painting show?
Broad patches of red, green, blue and orange on a pale cream ground, crossed by black lines, with an orange-red triangle at the top and a few small figures, two of them in dark hats.
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 120 x 80 and 140 x 90 cm work best, above a desk or in a hallway 80 x 50 and 100 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: patches of colour and long black lines on a pale ground, with an orange-red triangle and small figures
- Original: Musée National d’Art Moderne, 1911, 157.5 x 106 cm
- Our version: hand-painted oil on canvas, five sizes from 80 x 50 to 160 x 110 cm, on a wooden stretcher, framed on request
- Worth knowing: every painting is photographed before dispatch and sent to you for approval
