À propos de l’œuvre
Crabe, couché sur le dos, par Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh · August-September 1887 · Paris
Crab lying on its back, F605Reproduction of oil painting on canvas
An upturned crab fills almost the entire web, legs and claws spread out against a green background. Its red-brown shell, cream belly and black tips are described by a nervous material that transforms a small still life into a strikingly colored study.
Look at the work
The isolated crab becomes a complex and almost abstract form
The body is placed diagonally, from the upper left pincers to the lower right legs. The limbs fold and overlap around the light belly, forming a network of curves, joints and dark tips.
No accessories specify the location. Van Gogh simply places the reds and oranges of the crustacean against a field of bluish greens, whose broad brush strokes change direction around the silhouette.
Crab lying on its back is an oil on canvas measuring 38 × 46.8 cm dated by the Van Gogh Museum from August-September 1887 in Paris. The work bears the references F605/JH1663 and the inventory number s0124V1962.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
The museum notice links the subject to Japanese prints collected by Vincent and Theo. She also emphasizes the experiment carried out with Delacroix's complements: red and green, brought together, reciprocally intensify their brilliance.
The green background acts directly on the shell
It describes neither table nor floor; it serves as a chromatic contrast and makes the crab's reds, browns and blacks appear more powerful.
The belly is painted like a mosaic
Cream, pink, ocher and green mingle in small curved touches that follow each plate and each joint of the animal.
Framing avoids any distance
A pliers almost touches the upper edge and several legs approach the sides: the crustacean appears larger than the modest size of the canvas.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
The Van Gogh Museum today dates F605/JH1663 from the Parisian period, in August-September 1887. Still life is sometimes compared to the Two Crabs painted in Arles in 1889, but this sheet follows the official dating of the institution which preserves the work.
Crab in Japanese prints
Van Gogh and his brother Theo collect colorful engravings from Japan. The painter finds this animal subject there, treated by frank shapes and expressive lines.
Delacroix's Red-Green Experience
Van Gogh studies in the writings of Charles Blanc the theory of complements attributed to Delacroix: two opposing colors reinforce each other when placed side by side.
A work of the Vincent van Gogh Foundation
The painting belongs to the family collection transferred to the Foundation in 1962 and is inventoried s0124V1962 at the Van Gogh Museum.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
The copy must retain the diagonal of the body, the precision of the joints, the black ends, the cream belly constructed in small touches and the direct contrast between red shell and green background.
- The curved pliers at the top left
- The segmented light belly
- Legs and joints superimposed
- Black ends
- The broad brush strokes of the green background
Work sheet
| Title | Crab lying on its back, F605 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890) |
| Date | August-september 1887 |
| Place of creation | Paris |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 38 × 46.8 cm |
| Inventory | F605· JH1663· s0124V1962 |
| Conservation | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
From order to shipping
In your interior
A bold, graphic and unexpected still life
Emerald green, red brown, orange, cream and black create a strong presence for a kitchen, dining room, cabinet of curiosities or contemporary interior.
Frequently asked questions
Before ordering
Is this a canvas print?
No. Each reproduction is manually painted in oil on canvas. Brushstrokes and material variations belong to the final result.
How is the visual reference chosen?
The Van Gogh Museum's documentary image of 6,732 × 5,526 px was reduced to 3,000 × 2,463 px, then encoded into a real WebP without artificial enlargement.
Can I check the result before shipping?
Yes. Photographs of the finished painting are sent to you; you can request alterations before validating the shipment.
Are custom formats possible?
Yes. The format can be adapted to your wall while maintaining the proportions and balance of the original composition.
