À propos de l’œuvre
Chauve-souris, par Vincent van Gogh
Vincent van Gogh · October -November 1885 · Nuenen, Netherlands
Flying fox (bat), F177aReproduction of oil painting on canvas
A large, naturalized bat lies on a table, its wings open almost from edge to edge. The ocher and orange membranes capture the light, while the brown body merges with the dark background.
Look at the work
The open wings transform a naturalized specimen into an almost theatrical presence
The body rests in the center, head turned to the right. The long wings form two irregular triangles whose joints and ribs are highlighted by touches of yellow, green and orange.
Van Gogh does not seek a cold zoological survey. The muzzle, claws and membranes appear and then disappear into shadow; the warm light gives the specimen a strange force without setting it in motion again.
Flying Fox F177a/JH1192 is a 41.5 × 79 cm oil on canvas painted in Nuenen in October - November 1885. The Van Gogh Museum preserves it under inventory s0136V1973.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
The format, twice as wide as it is high, follows the wingspan. On a black-brown background close to Nuenen's still lifes, the wings receive a freer and more colorful material which announces research from the Parisian period.
Scale commands format
The wing tips approach the side edges and leave little empty space. The subject appears enlarged, almost on the scale of an emblem.
Light passes through the membranes
Ocher, yellow, orange and olive green are laid in irregular bands. They make the variable thickness of the skin understood without tracing every detail.
Dark body serves as joint
The head, thorax and legs form a brown knot in the center. From this compact mass come the two large luminous fans.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
F177a/JH1192 and s0136V1973 identify this singular painting. Research from the Van Gogh Museum now dates it to the end of the Nuenen period.
The subject is a tropical flying fox
This large frugivore of the genus Pteropus does not have a tail. The naturalized specimen had probably been brought back to Europe as an object of curiosity.
The exact origin of the specimen remains unknown
Van Gogh owned or borrowed stuffed animals for work. There is no document to identify with certainty the owner of this bat.
The museum acquired the painting in 1973
After belonging in particular to the Philips family, the work was purchased by the Vincent van Gogh Foundation for the Amsterdam Museum.
Your reproduction
What the painter must preserve
The copy must preserve the horizontal span, the head turned to the right, the wing joints, the orange and green membranes, the folded legs and the black-brown background.
- The taut tip of the left wing
- The brown head placed above the body
- The dark veins of the two membranes
- Olive green passages near the joints
- The little folded paw in the foreground
Work sheet
| Title | Flying fox (bat), F177a |
|---|---|
| Artist | Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890) |
| Date | October-november 1885 |
| Place of creation | Nuenen, Netherlands |
| Original technique | Oil on canvas |
| Dimensions | 41.5 × 79 cm |
| Inventory | F177a· JH1192· s0136V1973 |
| Conservation | Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam |
| Your reproduction | Handmade oil painting on canvas |
From order to shipping
In your interior
A cabinet of curiosities in ocher, orange and black brown
Golden ocher, earth orange, olive green, brown and black give a spectacular image for a library, a cabinet or an interior with deep 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 reproduction of the Van Gogh Museum was converted into a real WebP of 3,000 × 1,545 px from a file of 7,643 × 3,937 px, 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.
