Art Print Gift Ideas: Three Classic Paintings Worth Giving This Christmas
The best art print gifts are classic paintings with a clear picture, a story the giver can tell in one sentence, and enough calm to live on a wall for years. Three reliable choices are Bruegel's Hunters in the Snow for winter lovers, Monet's The Magpie for quiet rooms, and Hokusai's Great Wave for anyone who likes bold graphic shapes.
How do you choose an art print as a gift?
Ask three questions before you look at any picture. Where will it hang? What colours does that room already have? And does the person like to look closely, or do they like a bold shape from across the room? A painting full of tiny figures rewards close looking. A painting built on one strong shape works from the doorway.
Then check the print itself. Look for a stated size, a paper weight and a clear source image. Ask yourself whether the picture is in the public domain; paintings by Bruegel, Monet and Hokusai are, so a print is a reproduction of a work that belongs to everyone.
Gift 1: Hunters in the Snow, for the person who loves winter
Pieter Bruegel the Elder painted this in 1565 as part of a series on the seasons. Three hunters trudge home down a snowy hill with their dogs, while villagers skate on frozen ponds far below. It is the best-known winter scene in Western art, and it is warm in spirit even though every colour is cold.
Who it suits: anyone who likes busy, story-filled pictures, and anyone who finds December cosy. Where it hangs well: a hallway, a dining room or a reading corner, where people stop and find a new detail each time. Read the full story in our post on Bruegel's Hunters in the Snow.
Gift 2: The Magpie, for the person who likes a quiet room
Claude Monet painted a snowy Normandy farm gate in 1868-69, with a single black bird perched on the fence. The snow is not white but blue, lilac and grey, which is the reason the picture feels so still. It is an early work of Impressionism, painted before the movement had a name.
Who it suits: a gift for someone who prefers soft, cool colours and plenty of empty space. Where it hangs well: a bedroom, a study or a pale living room, where the blue shadows sit well with white walls and natural wood.
Gift 3: The Great Wave, for the person who likes bold shapes
Katsushika Hokusai made The Great Wave off Kanagawa around 1831 as part of his series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. A wave curls like a claw over three fishing boats, and Mount Fuji sits small and calm in the distance. It is the best-known Japanese print in the world, and its limited blue palette reads well even at a small size.
Who it suits: anyone who likes graphic design, travel or Japan. Where it hangs well: a desk wall, a kitchen or a hallway. See our post on Hokusai's Great Wave for the story of the print.
What size and frame should you choose?
Size is where most gifts go wrong. Choose by wall, not by picture.
Over a sofa or bed, aim for about two thirds of the width of the furniture. Our guide to above-the-sofa art rules explains the measurements.
In a hallway or by a desk, a smaller print in a simple frame is enough.
If you do not know the wall, choose a standard frame size and a neutral frame so the receiver can change it later.
Wide, horizontal pictures like Hunters in the Snow and The Magpie need a wide wall. The Great Wave is happy on a smaller one.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good art print to give as a gift?
A classic painting with a clear subject and a calm mood is the safest choice. Bruegel's Hunters in the Snow, Monet's The Magpie and Hokusai's Great Wave all work for many rooms.
Are classic painting prints legal to sell?
Paintings by artists who died more than a century ago, such as Bruegel, Monet and Hokusai, are in the public domain, so reproductions are free to make and sell.
What size of print is best for a gift?
Pick the size by the wall. A print about two thirds the width of a sofa suits a living room, while a smaller print suits a hallway or desk.
Zocine Art Design is an independent studio that prints classic paintings as wall art.
Browse Bruegel, Monet, Hokusai and other classic art prints in the archive at Zocine on Etsy.
New in the Journal: Bruegel's Hunters in the Snow, 1565
New in the Journal: Hokusai's Great Wave off Kanagawa, 1831
New in the Journal: Above-the-Sofa Art: Six Rules for the Hardest Wall in the Living Room
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