Description
Picture with a Circle is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1911: two overlapping dark blue oval loops float in the upper half among diagonal bands and a long pointed form, above loose, soft patches of pink, yellow, green and blue. 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: | Picture with a Circle |
| Other titles: | Bild mit Kreis |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1911 |
| Original size: | 111 cm x 139 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on canvas |
| Available sizes: | eight sizes from 50 x 60 cm to 180 x 220 cm |
| Painted from: | a photograph of the original |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
Picture with a Circle – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
Loose, overlapping strokes of pink, yellow, green, blue and violet cover the whole canvas, and the upper left corner is dark green. In the upper middle two tilted oval loops of thin dark blue line overlap, and inside them lie a pink round patch with a dark blue centre and a large blot of deep blue. To their right lies a dark grey-brown blot. From the top edge a dark blue band and a white band run diagonally down towards the left edge, with a crimson patch beside them on the left. A thin dark blue line runs from the loops down to the left across a yellow patch. Below the loops a wavy crimson line runs downwards, and a broad pale blue arc curves down along the left side. At the upper right a thick dark blue line outlines a large pale yellow shape with a blue oval inside it, and from it a thin dark line drops vertically to the middle of the right side. Across the middle, from the centre to the right edge, stretches a long, pointed form outlined in dark blue and striped with green, yellow and blue. The lower half is looser, with soft patches of pink, yellow, lilac, green and blue merging into one another. At the lower right an almost black oval with a pale curved stroke inside it lies in a broad pink area, with brown blots above it and a crimson blot at the right edge. Along the bottom edge runs a band of dark green, and the lower left corner is pink and yellow.
Dark loops over open colour
The two dark blue loops in the upper half anchor the composition: the diagonal bands and the thin lines lead the eye up to them first. From there the eye follows the long pointed form across to the right and the pale arc down the left side. Dark outlines hold the upper half together, while the lower half opens into soft patches of colour, so the painting grows looser and softer towards the bottom. The almost black oval at the lower right answers the loops above and balances them across the diagonal. Warm pinks and yellows alternate with cool blues and greens across the whole surface. On the wall the painting therefore looks restless and luminous at the same time.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1911. The original is 139 cm high and 111 cm wide. On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 111 x 139 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 interplay of warm and cool colours makes 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 70 x 90 and 90 x 110 cm, where the details come into their own. The 50 x 60 and 60 x 70 cm sizes suit the wall above a desk or a hallway, and 111 x 139, 130 x 160, 150 x 190 and 180 x 220 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 work recorded?
We found no institutional record under this title, so the page keeps the details the shop has always listed. For the painter himself, see Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons.
How big is the original?
It measures 111 x 139 cm. We give the width first; the height is 139 cm. Our largest size is 180 x 220 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1911.
What does the painting show?
Nothing figurative: two overlapping dark blue oval loops, diagonal bands, a long pointed form, a pale blue arc, an almost black oval and soft patches of pink, yellow, green and blue.
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 70 x 90 and 90 x 110 cm work best, above a desk or in a hallway 50 x 60 and 60 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?
We do not sell the original and give no market value for it; 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: two overlapping dark blue oval loops, diagonal bands and soft patches of pink, yellow and blue
- Original: 1911, 111 x 139 cm
- Our version: hand-painted oil on canvas, eight sizes from 50 x 60 to 180 x 220 cm, on a wooden stretcher, framed on request
- Worth knowing: every painting is photographed before dispatch and sent to you for approval
