Two Crabs, F606Reproduction of oil painting on canvas
Against a green background covered with large touches, two orange-red crabs appear one on their stomachs, the other upside down: Van Gogh transforms a modest still life into a spectacular study of complementary shapes and colors.
Hand paintedOil on canvasA verified WebP imagePhoto validation
Two Crabs, F606Vincent van Gogh · January 1889 · National Gallery, London - loan of a private collection
January 1889Dating
47 × 61 cmDimensions of the original
Oil on canvasOriginal technique
National Gallery, London - loan of a private collectionConservation
A real paintingThe canvas is hand painted, never printed.
Made to orderEach copy is created individually.
Controlled in photoYou review the completed table before sending.
Possible alterationsAdjustments may precede shipping.
Look at the work
Two views of the same crustacean?
The upper crab has its light belly, its folded legs and its claws pointing towards the edges. The lower one shows its rounded shell, painted in small touches of pink, yellow, red and white.
The background describes neither table nor shore. His blue, green and turquoise brushstrokes form a moving surface which brings out the warmth of the shells and gives the composition astonishing energy.
The National Gallery located the work in Arles in 1889, probably upon returning from the hospital in January. It could be a single crab represented above and then below, a hypothesis reinforced by the proximity to the Crab on the F605 back of the Van Gogh Museum.
Composition, touch and color
Three observations specific to this painting
The format of 47 × 61 cm, the loan inventory L995 and the references F606/JH1662 precisely identify this painting from the National Gallery.
01
Red versus green
The warm shells intensify on contact with the blue-green background, a direct application of the complementary contrast studied by Van Gogh at Delacroix.
02
Two opposing anatomy
The segmented belly of the first crab responds to the rounded shell of the second. The legs create a network of angular lines around two compact masses.
03
A bottom without depth
The space is deliberately flattened. The large green touches recall the graphic freedom of Japanese prints admired by the artist.
Documented benchmarks
Precisely identify the original work
The London notice links this still life to Van Gogh's return to work after his stay in Arles hospital.
Context
Start painting again
On January 7, 1889, Van Gogh announced to Theo that he would take over one or two still lifes; Two Crabs could belong to this reboot.
Japonism
Kunisada and Hokusai
The National Gallery brings together the crab motif from Japanese prints seen by Van Gogh in Japanese Art and Artistic Japan.
Collection
A work on loan
The painting belongs to a private collection and is presented by the National Gallery under number L995.
The copy must preserve the opposition of red and green, the very free anatomical details and the difference in material between belly, shell and bottom.
The light belly of the upper crab
The red shell of the lower crab
The black tips of the pliers
The turquoise touches of the background
White and pink accents on the shells
Work sheet
Title
Two Crabs, F606
Artist
Vincent van Gogh (1853 -1890)
Date
January 1889
Place of creation
Arles
Original technique
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
47 × 61 cm
Inventory
National Gallery L995 · F606 · JH1662
Conservation
National Gallery, London - loan of a private collection
Your reproduction
Handmade oil painting on canvas
From order to shipping
1
PreparationStudy of framing, proportions and colors.
2
Oil paintingManual production, layer after layer.
3
Photo validationChecking the table and requesting possible alterations.
4
Protected shippingCareful packaging and shipping with tracking.
In your interior
A lively and unexpected still life
The horizontal format is suitable for a kitchen, dining room or office. Turquoise, brick red, orange and cream match walnut, black metal and gray green walls.
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 National Gallery's reproduction measured 6,000 × 4,226 px; it was reduced to 3,000 × 2,113 px and converted into 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.
Oil painting on canvas
Photo before shipping
Canvas rolled, without frame
2px
70 cm
390 cm
Custom order
How does your order work?
A simple and reassuring process, from selecting the size to the tracked delivery of your canvas.
1
You choose the size
Select the desired size before ordering.
2
We paint the canvas
Your reproduction is hand-painted entirely in oil.
3
Photo for validation
We send you a photo to validate the result before shipping.
4
Tracked delivery
You receive your canvas rolled, protected, and shipped with tracking.
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