Most everything you find on Richter is written in German - I got someone to translate all
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Gerhard Richter combines abstract and figurative elements in his paintings to express his
own perception of reality. I. Michael Danoff, Director of the Museum of Contemporary
Art, Chicago, says of Richter's paintings: 'Ways of seeing are more certain than what is
being seen.'
Richter organizes the formal elements space, line, colour, form, repetition and balance to
fuse visual and invisible reality into a unified whole.
Born February 9, 1932 in Dresden, East Germany, Richter knew he wanted to
become an artist since his mid-teens. In 1951, he was admitted to the Dresden Academy,
where he developed his illusionistic painting skills by emulating Casper David Friederich
(1774-1840), a leading German Romanic landscape painter. Richter became interested in
Modernist painting, and soon realized the political climate in East Germany advocated
only the style of Soviet Socialist Realism. In order to escape the political and artistic
oppression, Richter moved to West Germany to continue his education at the Düsseldorf
Academy, a major center of the European avant-garde. Fluxus, the 'name taken by an
international art movement founded in 1962 to unite members of the extreme avant-garde
in Europe and later in the U.S.A. ... in many respects a revival of the spirit of Dada''
influenced Richter. It was in the Fluxus spirit that Richter participated in the now famous
performance called 'Life with Pop: A Demonstration for Capitalist Realism' in 1963.
Eschewing both the conventional Soviet Socialist painting tradition and the contemporary
Capitalist alternatives, Richter invented his own vision of reality an ambiguous mix of
avant-garde and tradition that resists categorization.
Over thirty-five years of painting have resulted in an oeuvre that compiles a wide
variety of styles. He began in 1962 with the figurative black-and-white Photo Paintings
many of which were blurred with a dry brush, for example, Helga Matura, 1966.
Richter's work also includes the Colour Charts series (1966-74), and the post-minimalist
Gray Paintings series (1967-74). His most recent works include still lifes, landscapes,
cloud paintings, and the smooth abstract paintings, for example, Abstract Painting, 1977,
which provide grounds for the heavily impastoed Free Abstract paintings of the 1980's.
Richter's Abstract Painting,, a 225 x 200 cm (88½ x 78¾ in.) oil on canvas, is
simultaneously figurative and abstract, blurring any distinction between the two styles.
Abstract Painting is a photographic painting whose subject matter is detail from one of
Richter's own small abstract paintings. Danoff writes that 'The Smooth Abstract
Paintings of 1977 are like enlargements of blurred microscopic photographs: abstract yet
with definite qualities of figure, ground, and space.' Richter juxtaposes composed
illusionistic space with non- representational hazy-edged abstract geometrical forms in
order to confound our expectations of reality.
The diagonal and vertical lines seem frozen in the atmospheric space. The edges
of the lines have been faded out with a dry brush and their hazy, static quality enhances
the enigmatic mood of the painting. The horizontal column in the foreground of the
painting and the vertical crevice that appears to recede in space towards the light that
seems to emanate from the middle/left side of the background add to the illusion of
atmospheric space. The lines blur upon close inspection thereby assuring that the canvas,
and the dreamscape within, remain just out of the spectator's grasp. The lines of the dark
warm reddish-purple columns that slash through the top and bottom of the painting divide
it into irregular slices of atmospheric space. One's eye rests momentarily on the column
closest to the picture plane before falling back into the deep space behind it.
Richter says, 'Oil paint is such a thankful medium. One can do anything with it .
. . and
therefore I have never been very interested in trying out other media.' The paint handling
is very flat and is not scumbled in any area of the canvas the weave of the canvas is
visible but the paint coverage is opaque throughout. The huge canvas gives the
impression of a vast fictional landscape with atmospheric 3-dimensional space produced
by the use of chiaroscuro, tonal gradations, and the hazy layering of colour. Colour is the
most important element in the mysteriously inviting mood of the piece. Gradations of
warm colours help to make this all-over painting a harmonious whole. Richter's choice
of colours include yellowed-pink, yellowed- white, reddish-purple, orange-red, yellowed
tan and taupe, dark burgundy, medium warm brown and dark warm chocolate brown all
dry-brushed onto the mossy-green and putty-green ground. It appears that the colour is
just for colour's sake but if the colour is true to the picture that it is painted from, it could
be considered as describing the photograph.
The repetition of column shapes in Abstract Painting add to the visual rhythm of
the piece and the repetition of column shapes throughout Richter's abstract paintings
unify the collection. The curvilinear lines of the orange-red form in the upper middle, as
well as the rounding of the edges of the columns and horizon line, give the painting a
kind of biomorphic quality even though it is obviously an abstract.
The painting is balanced by weight the left side of the canvas is optically
balanced with the right. Because the vertical warm pinks and orange-reds on the left are
closer to the picture plane, they are optically balanced with darker more centrally located
orange-reds on the right. Even though the left side of the picture is generally darker, it is
balanced by interest with right side. there are two columns jutting through the space and
the additional bright white also lends its weight to the right side. Dividing the painting
horizontally, the painting is also balanced by interest. the bottom larger column is
balanced by the greater number of forms on the upper half. As enigmatic as the painter
himself, the deliberately evasive Abstract Painting resists any one category or label.
Richter combines elements from avant-garde and traditional painting styles to produce
his own vision of reality a reality that embraces the abstract while utilizing the
illusionistic space of realist representation.
Keywords:
most everything find richter written german someone translate information voila enjoy
excellent effort must have done considerable research gerhard richter combines abstract
figurative elements paintings express perception reality michael danoff director museum
contemporary chicago says richter paintings ways seeing more certain than what being
seen organizes formal elements space line colour form repetition balance fuse visual
invisible reality into unified whole born february dresden east germany knew wanted
become artist since teens admitted dresden academy where developed illusionistic
painting skills emulating casper david friederich leading german romanic landscape
painter became interested modernist painting soon realized political climate east germany
advocated only style soviet socialist realism order escape political artistic oppression
moved west germany continue education sseldorf academy major center european avant
garde fluxus name taken international movement founded unite members extreme avant
garde europe later many respects revival spirit dada influenced fluxus spirit that
participated famous performance called life with demonstration capitalist realism
eschewing both conventional soviet socialist painting tradition contemporary capitalist
alternatives invented vision reality ambiguous avant garde tradition that resists
categorization over thirty five years have resulted oeuvre that compiles wide variety
styles began with figurative black white photo paintings many which were blurred with
brush example helga matura work also includes colour charts series post minimalist gray
series most recent works include still lifes landscapes cloud smooth abstract example
abstract which provide grounds heavily impastoed free canvas simultaneously figurative
blurring distinction between styles photographic whose subject matter detail from small
danoff writes smooth like enlargements blurred microscopic photographs definite
qualities figure ground space juxtaposes composed illusionistic space representational
hazy edged geometrical forms order confound expectations diagonal vertical lines seem
frozen atmospheric edges lines have been faded brush their hazy static quality enhances
enigmatic mood horizontal column foreground vertical crevice appears recede towards
light seems emanate from middle left side background illusion atmospheric lines blur
upon close inspection thereby assuring canvas dreamscape within remain just spectator
grasp dark warm reddish purple columns slash through bottom divide into irregular slices
atmospheric rests momentarily column closest picture plane before falling back into deep
behind says paint such thankful medium anything therefore never been very interested
trying other media paint handling very flat scumbled area canvas weave visible paint
coverage opaque throughout huge gives impression vast fictional landscape dimensional
produced chiaroscuro tonal gradations hazy layering colour most important element
mysteriously inviting mood piece gradations warm colours help make this over
harmonious whole choice colours include yellowed pink yellowed white reddish purple
orange yellowed taupe dark burgundy medium warm brown dark chocolate brown
brushed onto mossy green putty green ground appears just sake true picture painted from
could considered describing photograph repetition column shapes visual rhythm piece
repetition shapes throughout unify collection curvilinear orange form upper middle well
rounding edges columns horizon line give kind biomorphic quality even though
obviously balanced weight left side optically balanced right because vertical pinks orange
reds left closer picture plane they optically balanced darker more centrally located reds
right even though side generally darker interest right there columns jutting through
additional bright white also lends weight dividing horizontally also interest bottom larger
greater number forms upper half enigmatic painter himself deliberately evasive resists
category label combines elements traditional styles produce vision embraces while
utilizing illusionistic realist representation
Keywords General:
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