À propos de l’œuvre
Crâne de squelette, par Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh · May 1887 · Paris
Skull, F297Reproduction of oil painting on canvas
A skull seen in profile stands out against an ocher background crossed with green; blue contours, light impasto and cracked material make this Parisian study very precise research on bone and paint.
Look at the work
A skull in profile modeled by matter
The skull occupies the upper part, while the jaw descends to the right. The blank eye, arch and teeth are defined by dark blue lines rather than a uniform black design.
The ocher background remains widely visible under the pattern. Green touches rise from the bottom, and the cream highlights deposited thickly catch the light on the bone.
The Van Gogh Museum dates this study to May 1887 in Paris. It does not represent the famous smoking skeleton of Antwerp: F297/JH1346 shows an isolated skull in profile, without cigarettes.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
Canvas s0123V1962 measures 42.4 × 30.4 cm. The museum describes the alternation of fine paint and impasto as well as the cracks produced by a previously covered image.
Outlines drawn in blue
A narrow brush and blue paint define the eye sockets, sutures and jawline. Blue keeps the design alive instead of closing it with continuous black.
Thick highlights on the bone
The reflections are placed in light and heavy touches. They give relief to the forehead and the cranial vault despite the shallow depth of the pattern.
A surface marked by cracks
The skull covers a previous composition coated with zinc white. Slow drying of this layer caused cracks in the top paint.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
The official notice provides the date, measurements, inventory and a technical explanation based on the physical study of the table.
The Parisian skull F297
This work from May 1887 is distinct from Skeleton Head with Lighted Cigarette, painted in Antwerp during the winter of 1885 -1886.
An underlying composition
Van Gogh painted the skull above an older image that he had covered with a layer of zinc white.
Thin and thick in the same canvas
The thin areas of the background contrast with the light impasto used for reflections on the bone.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
The copy must preserve the exact profile, the thinness of the blue contours and the difference between thin background and thicker light highlights.
- The blue outline of the skull
- Black and green orbit
- Teeth finely separated
- Cream impastos
- The ocher background streaked with green
Work sheet
| Title | Skull, F297 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890) |
| Date | May 1887 |
| Place of creation | Paris |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 42.4 × 30.4 cm |
| Inventory | Van Gogh Museum s0123V1962 · F297 · JH1346 |
| Conservation | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
From order to shipping
In your interior
An ocher and blue anatomical study
The vertical format is suitable for a contemporary cabinet, bookcase or interior. Warm ocher, bone gray, olive green and dark blue accompany leather and dark wood.
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 official image of the Van Gogh Museum was provided directly in 2156 × 3000 px and preserved in these dimensions as a real WebP.
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.
