Canvas, Acrylic or Framed? A Guide to Hans Breuker Print Formats

Choosing between Hans Breuker print formats comes down to three real decisions: canvas or plexiglass, framed or frameless, and which size on the ladder actually fits your wall. Hans Breuker sells every artwork direct, in only two materials, so the format question is simpler than it looks once you know what each option actually includes.

Comparing Hans Breuker Print Formats: Canvas vs Plexiglass

Across the catalogue, every artwork page carries the same material selector: canvas or plexiglass. A smaller number of items also list a paper poster option, and a separate line of unique originals is paint on paper at 50 x 70 cm, but canvas and plexiglass are the two formats you will choose between on almost every piece.

On canvas, the brand's own product-page copy says:

My canvas paintings are all delivered ready to hang. Stretched on wooden slats. Each canvas has my signature on the front and back so that you have proof that it is an original work.— Hans Breuker product page

The same page adds:

The canvas we use is the best canvas available, combined with top quality ink that ensures vibrant colors and sharp details.— Hans Breuker product page

Plexiglass is positioned as the brand's higher tier. In its own words:

Plexiglass is naturally insensitive to UV radiation, which prevents discoloration and preserves the colors.— Hans Breuker product page

The same copy adds that plexiglass has "excellent scratch resistance," that

With beautiful light transmission, plexiglass creates a unique visual experience.— Hans Breuker product page

and that

plexiglass resists heat well and retains its shape, making it a durable choice compared to tempered glass.— Hans Breuker product page

Read that as the brand's own marketing claim about its material, not an independent lab result.

What this means in practice: canvas gives you a matte, textured, traditional finish that feels closer to a painted original, while plexiglass gives you a glossy, almost lit-from-within surface that reads as more contemporary. Neither is objectively "better" — they suit different rooms and different pieces in the Hans Breuker catalogue, from the Champagne collection's softer palettes to the high-gloss Luxury Street Pop Art theme.

The Real Size Ladder and How to Read It Against Your Wall

Hans Breuker does not sell custom dimensions — sizes are sold as a fixed ladder per artwork. The portrait ladder runs 30 x 40, 60 x 80, 80 x 120, 100 x 150, 120 x 180 and up to 140 x 200 cm; the landscape ladder runs 40 x 30, 80 x 60, 120 x 80, 150 x 100 and up to 200 x 140 cm; the square ladder runs 40 x 40 up to 150 x 150 cm; and panorama or extra-wide formats include 200 x 90, 140 x 60 and a 300 x 100 cm option on the largest works. A typical mid-catalogue piece, such as Champagne and Pearls, offers roughly five of those sizes; the BIG Works collection is where the panorama and XXL formats live.

To match a size to your wall, use the same math designers use for any large art piece. The two-thirds rule says the artwork should span roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of the width of the furniture below it — a 60-inch sofa suits art around 40–45 inches wide, and a 90-inch sofa suits 60–67 inches. For a deeper walk-through on matching a single statement piece to your sofa and wall, see our guide to sizing a statement pop art piece to your living room.

Height matters as much as width. The general rule for hanging art is to centre the piece 57 to 60 inches from the floor, matching average eye level. When the art hangs above a sofa or console, leave 6 to 8 inches of space between the top of the furniture and the bottom of the frame; above a headboard, allow 6 to 10 inches. Panorama formats like 200 x 90 cm are built for exactly this placement — long and low, above a sofa rather than centred on a blank wall.

Hanging Systems, Spacers and When a Float Frame Earns Its Place

How a piece arrives ready to hang differs by material. Canvas needs no separate frame or hardware — it is stretched on wooden slats and hangs as-is. Plexiglass is different:

My plexiglass works are delivered INCLUDING hanging system. Up to 120 x 80 cm with back frame.— Hans Breuker product page

Larger plexiglass pieces use stainless steel standoffs instead: a specific example on the brand's site notes a 150 x 100 cm plexiglass work "is supplied with 4 silver stainless steel spacers," which hold the piece slightly off the wall for a floating effect. The brand describes the process simply:

The hanging is self-explanatory.— Hans Breuker product page

A third variant sits alongside material and size on most artwork pages: the frame. Live variant data lists a no-frame option plus float frames in black, oak, white, silver and walnut; some artworks instead offer a plain frame, and a small number offer a frame with passe-partout. The Dutch name for the float frame is "baklijst" — literally a box frame, what English speakers usually call a float or shadow-box frame, where the print sits slightly recessed with a visible gap at the edge. The frame is chosen at the same time as material and size, rather than bought separately afterward.

A float frame earns its place when you want a defined edge — useful in a room with other framed pieces, or when the wall colour is close to the artwork's background and you need a visual boundary. Frameless plexiglass or bare canvas earns its place when you want the piece itself, uninterrupted, especially on a BIG Works panorama meant to read as one continuous surface. Separately, if a framed piece will hang directly opposite a window, a non-glare acrylic glazing (a general framing option, not a Hans Breuker-specific spec) is worth asking about, since it scatters reflected light rather than bouncing it back at the viewer.

Canvas vs Plexiglass vs Framed: Side by Side

What Ships With What: Slats, Spacers, Signatures and Frames

It helps to know exactly what is included before you pick a format, since the packaging and hardware differ by material rather than by artwork subject.

None of the frame options are added after purchase — they are selected as a single variant alongside material and size on the product page, so what you see in the size/material/frame selector is exactly what arrives.

Common Format Mistakes to Avoid

Picking plexiglass for a room full of matte, textured decor

Plexiglass's glossy surface stands out most in rooms with other reflective or contemporary finishes. In a room built around linen, wood and matte ceramics, a canvas piece will sit more naturally with the existing textures.

Under-sizing a panorama piece

A 200 x 90 cm panorama is designed to run the width of a sofa, not sit centred on a narrow wall. Measure the furniture below first, then work back to the size on the ladder that spans two-thirds to three-quarters of that width.

Forgetting the frame is a one-time choice

Because the float frame, plain frame or no-frame option is selected together with material and size, changing your mind later means a different order, not an add-on. Decide on the frame finish before you check out, not after the piece arrives.

Pick This If…

• Pick canvas if you want a traditional, ready-to-hang piece with a matte finish and a visible signature, and you would rather skip any extra hardware decision.
• Pick plexiglass if you want a glossy, contemporary statement piece and like the idea of a subtle floating effect off the wall.
• Pick a float frame (baklijst) if your room already has other framed art, or the artwork's background is close to your wall colour and needs a defined edge.
• Pick frameless if you are hanging a BIG Works panorama and want the surface to read as one uninterrupted piece.

For a look at what is actually inside the collections behind these formats — the Champagne, Bad Boys and Mr. Cash themes — read our full Hans Breuker pop art collections review. For how framing choices fit into the wider 2026 wall-art picture, see our roundup of 2026 wall art framing and format trends.

References

1. Apartment Therapy. The Two-Thirds Rule for Furniture Sizing.
2. Park West Gallery. 3 Simple Rules for Hanging Art.
3. Frametolia. How High to Hang Wall Art: The Ultimate Guide.