Description
Improvisation 19 is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1911: on a broad blue ground, beneath a black oval, a small colourful group of figures stands at the left and a row of very tall figures in black outline at the right. 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: | Improvisation 19 |
| Other titles: | Improvisation 19 |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1911 |
| Original size: | 141.5 cm x 120 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on canvas |
| Available sizes: | eight sizes from 60 x 50 cm to 200 x 170 cm |
| Location: | Lenbachhaus (inv. no. GMS 79) |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
Improvisation 19 – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
A broad field of blue fills most of the canvas, from pale lilac and violet in the upper middle to a deep, strong blue towards the bottom edge. Across the top a thick black curve forms a large open oval, with green, white and yellow strokes inside it and a yellow glow to its right. From the top, left of centre, a band of deep magenta runs diagonally down to the left, beside patches of red and pink in the upper left corner. At the upper left, on an olive ground, white outlines form pointed arches with small red, green and dark patches inside them. At the lower left stands a group of figures outlined in black: a tall hooded figure in turquoise with a brown face, from which a long angular shape stretches out to the right like an arm, and in front of it a figure in orange-red beside yellow and green. Small white rounded shapes appear among them, and the lower left corner is dark green and blue. On the right several very tall, slender figures stand side by side, drawn only in thick black outlines on the blue. Their heads at the top are bowed and marked with magenta and pink, and their long bodies reach down to the bottom edge. Along the right edge runs a narrow brown and olive strip, separated from the blue by a vertical black line. In the lower middle, strokes of an intense dark blue lie over the paler blue.
Two groups across the blue
The composition sets two groups against each other across an open blue space: the small, tightly packed and colourful group at the left and the tall, loose row of black outlines at the right. Between them the blue stays almost empty, so the eye crosses it from one side to the other. The arm-like shape of the hooded figure points into this space, towards the tall figures. The black oval at the top closes the blue space from above. The vertical lines of the tall figures give the right half a slow, upright rhythm. Magenta and red at the upper left warm the cool blue, and the thick black lines bind the loose, fluid colour together. On the wall the painting therefore looks calm and tense at the same time.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1911. The original is 120 cm high and 141.5 cm wide and belongs to the Lenbachhaus (inv. no. GMS 79). On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 141.5 x 120 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 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 80 and 110 x 90 cm, where the details come into their own. The 60 x 50 and 80 x 70 cm sizes suit the wall above a desk or a hallway, and 120 x 100, 142 x 120, 180 x 150 and 200 x 170 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 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 Lenbachhaus (inv. no. GMS 79). The work is recorded in Wikidata, and the photograph we paint from is on Wikimedia Commons.
How big is the original?
It measures 141.5 x 120 cm. We give the width first; the height is 120 cm. Our largest size is 200 x 170 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1911.
What does the painting show?
A small group of brightly coloured figures at the lower left and a row of very tall figures in black outline on the right, on a broad blue ground beneath a black oval.
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 80 and 110 x 90 cm work best, above a desk or in a hallway 60 x 50 and 80 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: tall black-outlined figures and a small colourful group on a broad blue ground beneath a black oval
- Original: Lenbachhaus, 1911, 141.5 x 120 cm
- Our version: hand-painted oil on canvas, eight sizes from 60 x 50 to 200 x 170 cm, on a wooden stretcher, framed on request
- Worth knowing: every painting is photographed before dispatch and sent to you for approval
