Description
The Ludwigskirche in Munich is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky from 1908: a dense crowd in bright dabs of colour gathers beneath three dark church arches, and in the middle arch a yellow light glows. We make it as a hand-painted reproduction in oil on canvas, in six sizes or made to measure, and before dispatch you receive a photograph of the finished work to approve.
| Title: | The Ludwigskirche in Munich |
| Other titles: | Die Ludwigskirche in München |
| Painter: | Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) |
| Year: | 1908 |
| Original size: | 96 cm x 67 cm |
| Original technique: | Oil on cardboard |
| Available sizes: | six sizes from 70 x 50 cm to 160 x 110 cm |
| Painted from: | a public-domain photograph of the original (Wikimedia Commons) |
| Our reproduction: | hand-painted oil on canvas, made to measure on request |
The Ludwigskirche in Munich – Wassily Kandinsky
What can be seen in the painting?
Across the upper half stand three large, dark blue-black arches, set in walls built up from thick dabs of yellow, lime green and orange. The left arch is almost entirely dark, framed by a green and a yellow pillar. In the middle arch a bright yellow opening glows; inside it rise a tall, narrow blue shape, a yellow panel with an orange lower edge and a tiny figure, a slim pink and orange striped form and a dark rectangular doorway. The right arch is also lit from within in yellow and orange, with a dark doorway at its lower right. Below the arches a crowd fills the whole lower half, painted as countless round dabs of orange, yellow, blue, pink, green and violet. In the centre rises a bright yellow block topped by a pink and red band, like a lit canopy or altar amid the people. In the foreground the figures stretch into taller, upright strokes: yellow, orange-red, pale blue and green shapes stand side by side, some with round yellow heads. A pink oval at the right, a pale yellow disc at the left and an orange patch look like parasols or hats above the heads. At the bottom the crowd sinks into a deep blue-green shadow. The paint is laid on thickly, and every brushstroke stays visible.
Light and crowd
The composition sets calm against movement. The three dark arches form a heavy, steady row across the top, while the crowd below breaks into hundreds of small bright dabs. The eye goes straight to the yellow light in the middle arch and follows it down to the glowing block at the heart of the crowd, which ties the two halves together. Warm yellows and oranges burn against deep blues, so the light seems to pour out of the church among the people. The thick strokes make the surface almost shimmer. Each stroke carries its own colour and its own rhythm. On the wall it looks festive and full of warmth, and from a few steps back the dabs merge into one lively scene.
About the painting
Kandinsky painted it in 1908. The original is 67 cm high and 96 cm wide. On this page we give the width first, so the original reads 96 x 67 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 100 x 70 and 120 x 80 cm, where the details come into their own. The 70 x 50 and 90 x 60 cm sizes suit the wall above a desk or a hallway, and 140 x 100 and 160 x 110 cm a large wall above a sofa or in an entrance hall. All six 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?
The work is recorded in Wikidata, and the photograph we paint from is on Wikimedia Commons.
How big is the original?
It measures 96 x 67 cm. We give the width first; the height is 67 cm. Our largest size is 160 x 110 cm.
When was the painting made?
In 1908.
What does the painting show?
A crowd gathered beneath a church: three dark arches above, a lit yellow opening in the middle one, and below them many people painted as bright dabs of colour around a glowing yellow centre.
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 100 x 70 and 120 x 80 cm work best, above a desk or in a hallway 70 x 50 and 90 x 60 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 crowd in bright dabs of colour beneath three dark church arches, with yellow light in the middle
- Original: 1908, 96 x 67 cm
- Our version: hand-painted oil on canvas, six sizes from 70 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
