HD print11 sizes6 × 8 to 43 × 63 inDiptych
The essentials: a composition split down the middle: a quote in white capitals on black to the left, Tyson's face in close-up to the right, tattoo showing, in black and white. Red signature at the bottom. 11 sizes from 15 × 20 cm / 6 × 8 in to 110 × 160 cm / 43 × 63 in. Frame sold separately. From €12 to €109 depending on size, free standard shipping.
The tattoo that ended up in court
The design on the left side of his face dates from February 2003. It is the work of the tattooist Victor Whitmill, in Las Vegas, a few days before a fight. Tyson had originally asked for a series of small hearts; the tattooist proposed this Maori-inspired design instead and drew it in one sitting.
Eight years later, in 2011, Whitmill sued a film studio for reproducing the design on an actor's face in a comedy. The judge held that a tattoo is indeed a work protected by copyright, before the parties settled. It was the first American case to rule on that point, and the design has since become the most recognisable thing about him.
What you see
Portrait format, the image cut vertically in two. The left half is black, carrying a text in white capitals across six lines, two words in bold. The right half shows Tyson's face in very close crop, from the chin to the top of the head, in black and white on a light grey ground, the tattoo clearly visible around the left eye.
At the bottom, a reproduced handwritten signature in red — the only colour on the canvas. From 3 m / 10 ft you read a face cut in half; from 1 m / 3 ft the whole text can be read.
Technical specifications
Worth knowing: the vertical cut down the middle asks for a centred hang; off centre, the balance of the composition goes. From 50 × 70 cm / 20 × 28 in the six lines read from a sofa. Frames are sold separately: wooden frame up to 100 cm / 39 in per side, XXL wooden frame from 110 to 200 cm / 43 to 79 in, or aluminium frame in 8 finishes.
Six lines of text set the minimum size
The quote is set in six lines across the left half, and it is the text, not the face, that decides the size. It reads at two metres from 40 × 60 cm / 16 × 24 in and from a sofa at 50 × 70 cm / 20 × 28 in. The size chart by wall type covers the other placements room by room.
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Frequently asked questions
What does the quote on this canvas say?
We all have struggles in life, but we have to continue to fight — six lines of white capitals, with the word fight closing the line at chin height.
What does the tattoo on Mike Tyson's face mean?
It is a Maori-inspired design drawn by Victor Whitmill in Las Vegas in February 2003, in a single sitting. Tyson had asked for something else entirely — a run of small hearts — and took the tattooist's counter-proposal instead.
What size canvas should I hang above a sofa?
The working rule is about two thirds of the width of the furniture below it, centred 145 cm / 57 in from the floor. Over a 200 cm / 79 in three-seater, that means 80 × 120 cm / 31 × 47 in; over a two-seater, 60 × 90 cm / 24 × 35 in; in a hallway, 30 × 45 cm / 12 × 18 in. The full size chart by wall type is on the Ali vs Liston 1965 page.
Is the signature genuine?
No, it is reproduced as part of the printed image, not signed by hand. It is printed in red with the same pigment inks as the rest of the canvas, so it will not smudge or fade separately.
Does the canvas come with a frame?
No, the canvas ships on its own, rolled in a protective tube. Frames are sold separately: wooden frame up to 100 cm / 39 in per side, XXL wooden frame from 110 to 200 cm / 43 to 79 in, or aluminium frame in 8 finishes. The wooden kits are 2.5 cm / 1 in thick and come with instructions.
How do I clean a canvas print?
A dry microfibre cloth handles almost everything. For a mark that stays, use a barely damp cloth with no detergent, wiping across the surface. No abrasive sponge, no glass cleaner.
