Original oil paintings

Buy original oil paintings online from Indian artist Riya Kumari: hand-painted oil on canvas, one of a kind, framed and ready to hang, with a certificate of authenticity.

Every painting here is an original, painted by hand in oil on canvas by Riya Kumari. There is only one of each, it arrives framed and ready to hang, and it comes with a certificate of authenticity.

Some are her own paintings; others are master studies, careful hand-painted copies of famous works by Monet, Sargent, Winslow Homer and others, made the way painters have always learned, by painting what the masters painted.

One of a kind, painted by hand

An original is a single painting that exists only once; a print is a reproduction of an image, so the same picture can hang in many homes. Each painting here is built up in layers of oil paint on canvas, so it has the texture of real brushstrokes, and most pages have a short video of it being painted. The paintings are 8 x 10 in, framed at about 13 x 17 in; the exact sizes are on each painting’s page.

Master studies of famous paintings

A master study is a painter’s copy of a famous painting, made to learn from it. Riya’s studies are after Joseph Karl Stieler’s Beethoven with the Manuscript of the Missa Solemnis (1820), Arnold Böcklin’s Self-Portrait with Death Playing the Fiddle (1872), John Singer Sargent’s Mrs. Henry White (1883), Winslow Homer’s The Herring Net (1885) and Claude Monet’s Water Lilies (1904). Each one is labelled as “after” the original painter and sold as Riya’s study, not as the original, and each page tells the story of the painting and where the original hangs.

Riya’s own paintings

The Dog and his Shadow is Riya’s own oil painting, from a photograph she took at sunrise on a beach in the Andaman Islands. It is signed, and like the studies it is framed and comes with a certificate of authenticity.

Choosing a size and where to hang it

Interior guides suggest that art over a piece of furniture should span about two-thirds of its width, and that a single piece hangs best with its centre at eye level, about 145–150 cm (57–60 in) from the floor. At about 13 x 17 in framed, these paintings suit a wall above a desk, a console or a bedside table, or a narrow wall between doors and windows; above a sofa or bed, hang two or three together. To see one at its real size in your own room, use “See it on your wall” on the painting’s page.

Caring for an oil painting

Hang the painting away from direct sunlight, heat and damp walls. To remove dust, brush the surface very lightly with a soft, dry brush; never use water or cleaning products on the paint.

Questions

Are these prints or real paintings?
Real paintings. Each one is painted by hand in oil on canvas; you can see the brushstrokes. Prints of the same pieces are sold separately under Prints.
How do I know the painting is authentic?
Each painting comes with a certificate of authenticity from the artist. Riya paints every piece herself, and most painting pages show a video of it being painted.
What is a master study?
A hand-painted copy of a famous painting, made to learn from it. It is an original oil painting in its own right, painted by Riya, not a printed reproduction.
Why does an original cost more than a print?
There is only one of it. A print reproduces the image so the same picture can be made many times, which is why prints of these paintings cost a fraction of the original.
Do they come framed?
Yes. Every original ships framed and ready to hang; the frame size is listed on each painting’s page.
Can I commission a painting?
Yes. For a study of a painting that isn’t here, or a different size, email riya.kumari1999@gmail.com with what you have in mind and Riya will tell you whether she can paint it and what it would cost.
How long does delivery take?
Originals usually arrive in 7–10 days. Shipping is a flat ₹200 within India and a flat USD 20 anywhere else.
Can I return a painting?
Returns are not accepted, so please check the size and framing on the painting’s page, or try it on your wall first, before you order.

Hand-painted reproductions of famous paintings · Art for the living room: size and placement · Wall art for hotels, homestays and cafés