Cassius Clay canvas
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- Regular price€19,00
The essentials: Cassius Clay in a guard on a black ground, painted in flesh and brown tones worked with a knife, white trunks with an Everlast waistband and red gloves as the only bright colour. 10 sizes from 20 × 30 cm / 8 × 12 in to 110 × 160 cm / 43 × 63 in. Frame sold separately. From €19 to €109 depending on size, free standard shipping.
The name he left behind
Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. — that is the name the Louisville boxer won Olympic gold under in Rome in 1960, and then the world heavyweight title against Sonny Liston on 25 February 1964 in Miami Beach, where Liston stayed on his stool before the seventh round.
The day after that title he announced he had joined the Nation of Islam and dropped what he called his slave name — inherited from a nineteenth century Kentucky politician whose surname his family carried. He was briefly Cassius X, then Muhammad Ali. The American press took years to use the new name. This canvas holds the fighter from before: the one who won the first belt.
What you see
Portrait format, plain black ground, lightly textured. Cassius Clay is shown full length, upper body pitched forward, mouth open, fists drawn in, at the end of a punch. The body is painted in flesh, brown and grey tones laid on in tight strokes, with white flicks thrown around the shoulders and arms that carry the movement out into the black.
The trunks are white with a wide waistband carrying the Everlast mark, and the red gloves stand out against the black. From 3 m / 10 ft you read a pale figure on black; from 1 m / 3 ft each stroke of paint separates.
Technical specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subject | Cassius Clay in a guard on a black ground, red gloves |
| Finish | Digital painting in tight strokes, white flicks |
| Dominant colours | Black, flesh tones, white, red gloves |
| Orientation | Portrait |
| Material | Cotton canvas, high definition digital print |
| Inks | Pigment based, UV resistant |
| Thickness | 3 mm / 0.12 in |
| Canvas delivery | Rolled in a protective tube, no stretcher bars |
| Frame | Frame sold separately |
| Care | Dry microfibre cloth, barely damp cloth if needed |
| Use | Indoor |
| Sizes | 20 × 30, 30 × 45, 40 × 60, 50 × 70, 60 × 90, 70 × 100, 80 × 120, 90 × 130, 100 × 150, 110 × 160 cm (8 × 12 to 43 × 63 in) |
| Price | From €19 to €109 depending on size |
| Shipping | Free standard shipping |
Worth knowing: the plain black ground needs a light wall to carry: on dark paint the outline of the figure closes up. On white or beige plaster the figure appears to float. 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.
A pale subject on deep black
The contrast between the figure and the ground carries at five metres, so the canvas reads from 30 × 45 cm / 12 × 18 in upwards. It is the paint strokes and the white flicks that need surface — allow 70 × 100 cm / 28 × 39 in for them to separate one by one. The size chart by wall type covers the other placements room by room.
You may also like
- Sepia boxing canvas — the same fighter in the same era in sepia on aged paper, if you want warm tones.
- Muhammad Ali pool canvas — the 1961 photograph, taken before he changed his name, in turquoise.
- Ali vs Liston 1965 canvas — the photograph of the second Liston fight, in black and white.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Cassius Clay change his name?
The day after beating Sonny Liston on 25 February 1964 he announced he had joined the Nation of Islam and dropped what he called his slave name, inherited from a nineteenth century Kentucky politician. He was briefly Cassius X, then Muhammad Ali.
How did the 1964 Clay–Liston fight end?
Liston stayed on his stool before the seventh round, citing a shoulder injury. Clay, a seven to one underdog, took the world heavyweight title at 22.
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.
What wall does this canvas suit best?
A light wall — white or beige — where the black ground reads as a shape and the figure appears to float. On dark paint the outline closes up and the canvas loses its edge.
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.
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