What is the largest sharp print size for Study of Two Heads?

At 300 dpi, this 2,874 × 3,819 px file prints up to 9.6 × 12.7 in with gallery-sharp detail. At 150 dpi the file reaches 19.2 × 25.5 in, which is poster-sharp quality.

Which standard frame sizes give gallery-sharp prints of Study of Two Heads?

Gallery-sharp (300 dpi or above) frame sizes: 8 × 10 in. Sharp-to-poster-quality sizes also work: 11 × 14 in, 12 × 16 in, 16 × 20 in, 18 × 24 in.

Does printing Study of Two Heads require cropping the image?

Standard frame aspect ratios may not match this artwork exactly; depending on the size chosen, up to 11% of the image could be cropped. Most print-on-demand services let you adjust the crop position or add a white mat border instead.

Study of Two Heads — Peter Paul Rubens | Free high-res download

Study of Two Heads

Peter Paul Rubens · ca. 1609 · The Met, New York

Public domain · CC0 · $0.002,874 × 3,819 px · 11 MP

Prints gallery-sharp up to9.6 × 12.7 inat 300 dpi, uncropped · poster-sharp to 19.2 × 25.5 in at 150 dpi

The download is the Met's own open-access file, served by the Met. Big file — give it a minute.

Build the wall set

Art, frame, light and hanging gear, picked together. Choose a size and finish; the wall preview shows exactly what you're getting. One button sends the whole kit to your Amazon cart.

Amazon sells the physical items, sets their prices and availability, and may pay us a commission. The free museum file is separate. How we get paid →

How big can you print it?

Standard frame sizes, turned to match the artwork. "Crops" is how much of the picture you lose filling that frame edge to edge — or keep it all and let a mat take up the difference.

Frame	Effective dpi	Verdict	Crops
8 × 10 in	359	Gallery sharp	6%
11 × 14 in	261	Sharp up close	4%
12 × 16 in	238	Sharp up close	nothing
16 × 20 in	179	Poster sharp	6%
18 × 24 in	159	Poster sharp	nothing
24 × 36 in	106	Fine across a room	11%
30 × 40 in	95	Too soft	nothing

Will it fit over your couch? Put this one on your wall, to scale — crop or mat, frame size, hang height and the order.

The ticket

Study of Two Heads is a painting by Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, Siegen 1577–1640 Antwerp), dated ca. 1609. Oil on wood. Size on the museum record: 27 1/2 x 20 1/2 in. (69.9 x 52.1 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds it in its European Paintings collection — Bequest of Miss Adelaide Milton de Groot (1876-1967), 1967.

In The Met's records, Study of Two Heads is an oil on wood credited to Peter Paul Rubens. The museum dates it ca. 1609, and files it under accession 67.187.99 in European Paintings. People are the subject, and the grouping and gestures matter more than any single face; avoid cropping the edges. The Met's scan measures 2,874 × 3,819 pixels, which prints about 9.6 × 12.7 in at 300 dpi and 19.2 × 25.5 in at a still-comfortable 150 dpi. Because it runs tall, it wants a vertical frame; compare the crop percentage across sizes before you choose. Its warm reds and oranges suit walnut or gold, which deepen the glow instead of washing it out. Paintings reproduce best on matte paper, since gloss throws glare across exactly the brushwork you came for. A warm picture light a few inches above the frame does more for a print than any paper upgrade, and the hanging centre line belongs near 57 inches.

The Met released its scan under CC0, which means no permission, no fee and no credit line required. That file is 2,874 × 3,819 pixels — 11 megapixels — good for a gallery-sharp print up to 9.6 × 12.7 in. The painting itself measures about 20.5 × 27.5 in, so a true life-size print runs below 300 dpi — still sharp at normal viewing distance.Paintings reproduce best on matte paper. Gloss throws glare across exactly the brushwork you came for, and a picture light does more for a print than any upgrade in paper.