À propos de l’œuvre
deux harengs, par Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh · January 1889 · Arles
Two herring on yellow paper, F510Reproduction of oil painting on canvas
Two smoked herrings rest head to tail on a crumpled yellow leaf, in front of a striped background whose blue, green and red features accentuate their silhouette.
Look at the work
A deliberately rough still life
Van Gogh reduces the composition to two fish placed on a piece of paper. Their silvery, browned and bluish bodies are described by thick touches; light eyes and open mouths give an almost expressive presence to this everyday subject.
The yellow paper forms an irregular area that isolates the herring from the striped support. Folds, torn edges and purple shadows prevent this surface from appearing flat. Around, the horizontal and diagonal lines create an unusual tension for a still life.
The simplicity of the pattern allows Van Gogh to focus attention on textures: shiny skin, crumpled paper and a support covered with colorful lines.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
F510 stands out from the Parisian still life F1671: here, only two herrings occupy a yellow leaf in the center of a small horizontal format.
Two opposite fish
The herrings are arranged head to tail. This crossed orientation balances their masses and immediately animates the center of the canvas.
Crumpled paper
Yellow is not a simple background: its folds, contours and shadows produce a second material, drier than that of fish.
Colorful stripes
The visible support around the paper mixes blue, green, red and brown. These lines contrast with the curves of the bodies and reinforce their volume.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
References F510/JH1661 identify the small still life painted in Arles at the beginning of 1889 and today kept in a private collection.
January 1889
Van Gogh painted this work shortly after his return to the Yellow House, following his hospitalization in December 1888.
Paul Signac
When Signac came to visit him in Arles in March 1889, Van Gogh offered him the painting in memory of their meeting.
F510 · JH1661
These numbers avoid confusion with a Paris composition representing more herring on another medium.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
Reproduction must differentiate between cold reflections from fish, impasto from paper and drier lines from the bottom without smoothing the bill.
- The head-to-tail arrangement of the two herrings
- The blue, silver and brown reflections of the scales
- Light eyes and dark contours
- The irregular folds and edges of the yellow paper
- The colored lines visible around the sheet
Work sheet
| Title | Two herring on yellow paper, F510 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890) |
| Date | January 1889 |
| Place of creation | Arles |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 32 × 40 cm |
| Inventory | F510 · JH1661 |
| Conservation | Private collection |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
From order to shipping
In your interior
A graphic still life with frank contrasts
The small horizontal format finds its place in a kitchen, an office or a wall composition. Ocher yellow and muted blues match dark wood and mineral tones.
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 public domain reference image measures 2514 × 2004 px and has been converted to 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.
