Checking Leon Berkowitz Print Dimensions Before You Order

Print sizes are listed in product details, but the number that matters is the wall's. Here is how to reconcile the two before money changes hands.

Auvrique Editorial · Fine Art Editions

The short answer

Check the listed print dimensions on the product page, then measure the wall yourself. A sound rule is to leave 3 to 6 inches of bare wall on each side of the piece, so a 24 by 36 inch print wants roughly 30 to 48 inches of clear width. Measure width, height and the furniture below before ordering.

Where the dimensions are listed

Every reputable seller lists print dimensions on the product page, usually in inches and centimetres side by side. Read both. A 60 by 90 centimetre canvas is not the same as a 60 by 90 inch one, and the centimetre figure is the one most international listings lead with. Check whether the stated size covers the image alone or the image plus frame, because a framed poster can add 2 to 4 inches per side.

Leon Berkowitz worked in large formats, so his color field compositions tend to be offered at generous scales. That is worth knowing before you commit, because a painting designed to fill a wall loses its effect when shrunk to fit above a sideboard. If you are weighing format as well as size, the difference between a canvas edition and a framed poster affects the final footprint canvas editions include their own depth.

How to measure your wall properly

Measure the wall space in three passes. First, the width and height of the clear area where the print will hang. Second, the distance from any furniture below, since art hung over a sofa should sit 6 to 10 inches above the backrest. Third, the sightline, which means eye level for the room's average standing height, around 57 to 60 inches to the center of the piece.

Write the numbers down and subtract. If your clear wall is 70 inches wide and you want 6 inches of breathing room on each side, your maximum print width is 58 inches. This arithmetic takes two minutes and prevents the most common ordering mistake. Anyone deciding between scales for a smaller room will find the trade-offs set out in our guide to choosing a print size for a small living room choosing a print size for a small room.

Before you click order

Confirm whether the listed size includes the frame or refers to the image alone
Tape a newspaper or sheet cut to the print's exact dimensions on the wall
Check that the piece clears light switches, outlets and door frames
Photograph the taped outline and view it from the room's main seating position

What the tape test reveals

The taped outline is the cheapest insurance available. A 36 by 48 inch print sounds manageable in a listing and reads as a wall of color in a hallway. Stand back ten feet, the distance most living rooms allow, and judge whether the scale overwhelms or anchors the space. Berkowitz's luminous fields reward size, but a piece that crowds its wall will irritate you within a week.

Price rises with area, so the anxiety about ordering wrong is rational. A print that is one size too large is expensive to return and worse to live with. If budget is shaping the decision, the same logic applies to smaller formats elsewhere in the catalogue, as with a framed poster sized for a study wall Road in a Winter Garden framed poster. Measure once, order once.

The listed dimensions describe the print. Only your tape measure describes the wall.

Print size	Clear wall width needed	Typical placement
16 x 20 in	22 to 32 in	Hallway, powder room, gallery pair
24 x 36 in	30 to 48 in	Above a console or dresser
36 x 48 in	42 to 60 in	Above a sofa or bed
48 x 60 in or larger	54 in plus	Statement wall with clear sightlines

Common print sizes and the wall width they need

Key takeaways

Product pages list dimensions in inches and centimetres, so confirm which unit you are reading.
Check whether the stated size includes the frame, which can add 2 to 4 inches per side.
Leave 3 to 6 inches of bare wall on each side of the print when calculating the maximum width.
Tape a paper cutout to the wall at eye level before ordering anything larger than 36 inches wide.

Related questions

Do listed print dimensions include the frame?

It varies by seller, which is exactly why you check. Some listings quote the image size and add framing separately, others quote the outer dimensions of the finished piece. Look for a line that says image size versus overall size, and if the listing is unclear, ask the seller before ordering rather than after.

How high should a large print hang on the wall?

Center the piece at roughly 57 to 60 inches from the floor, which is standard gallery height. Above a sofa or sideboard, hang lower, leaving 6 to 10 inches between the furniture's top edge and the bottom of the frame. A piece hung too high reads as floating away from the room.

Is a bigger Berkowitz print always better?

Not always. Berkowitz's color field work benefits from scale, but only when the wall can carry it. A large print in a tight room feels cramped, while a modest print on a long blank wall disappears. Match the print's width to about two thirds to three quarters of the furniture below it, or of the wall if there is none.

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