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The painting Cell belongs to the cycle October 18, 1977 and depicts the empty prison cell of Andreas Baader, one of the leading members of the RAF, who was found shot in his cell in Stuttgart-Stammheim on 18th October 1977.
As all paintings of the cycle this work refers back to a photographic source image. In this case it is a police photograph taken after the discovery of Baader’s suicide whose coloured original can be found in the archives of the public prosecution department in Stuttgart. The original shows more details like books and a typewriter standing on the floor in front of the big book shelf as well as a triangular red flag hanging on the wall left to the shelf. Furthermore, the outlines of Baader’s dead body, sketched on the floor with chalk, and the titles of several books can be discerned. The chalk markings as well as the coat hanging in the left corner point to the former inmate of the cell and his ominous absence[1]. This connection is mitigated in Richter’s painting because of the heavy blurring but nonetheless still perceptible.
The painting is divided by a vertical line in the middle: the right side is occupied by a wall-high shelf which provides space for rows and rows of books. The left side is dominated by the bright wall and a coat hanging over a folding screen that is shielding the sink from view.
Cell is characterised by an especially strong, vertical blurring of all outlines that causes the wall of books to flicker in the viewers eyes. Every object in the room seems to be in motion, entraining the viewer (and the inmate respectively). The cell thus becomes the image of a death trap[2]. As the floor is very dark it almost seems as if it is not there at all, leaving a black hole and literally taking the ground from under the prisoner although the book shelf should theoretically be both an intellectual and physical support. The general menacing impression is reinforced by the flag that, rendered in black and white, almost seems like a guillotine. The blurring and concomitant haziness of the subject matter hence also reflect how the public dealt with the events[3].
Unlike Man Shot Down 1 and 2 [CR: 669/1-2] this painting also references Baader’s everyday life in prison. Even if a lot of the personal objects cannot be clearly identified, the abundance of books is informative in itself. Among the identified tomes are mostly political works of revolutionary nature but also books about art and history. In total Baader had 974 books in his cell that can provide an insight into his life as a prisoner and prove that he worked on his intellectual education in spite of having dropped out of school[4]. The volumes also point to the attempts of the RAF to justify their politically motivated actions with ideological documents. These are mostly attributed to the former journalist Ulrike Meinhof however[5].
Repeatedly Richter remarked upon the dangers inherent in believing in ideologies of any sort: “[…] Without a doubt, ideologies are harmful, and we must therefore take them very seriously: as behaviour, and not for their content (in content they are all equally false). […] The pictures are also a leave-taking, in several respects. […] and then ideologically: a leave-taking from a specific doctrine of salvation and, beyond that, from the illusion that unacceptable circumstances of life can be changed by this conventional expedient of violent struggle (this kind of revolutionary thought and action is futile and passé).'[6] This painting as well can be seen as a manifestation of the dangers immanent in ideologies. The bookshelf in Baader’s cell represents the variety of political ideologies and their dangerous consequences visually, both for the individual whose death is epitomised by the empty room, as well for society in general[7]. Concurrently, the normality represented with this subject appears especially alarming[8].
[1] Robert Storr (ed.), Gerhard Richter. October 18, 1977, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2000, p. 107.
[2] Birgit Richard, Todesbilder. Kunst, Subkultur, Medien, Werner Fink, Munich, 1995, pp. 233-234.
[3] Martin Henatsch, Gerhard Richter – 18. Oktober 1977. Das verwischte Bild der Geschichte, insel, Frankfurt, 1998, pp. 82-83.
[4] Storr 2000, p. 117.
[5] Stefan Aust, Der Baader-Meinhof-Komplex, 3rd ed., Hamburg, 2008, pp. 243-244; p. 406-408.
[6] Notes, 1989 (translated by David Britt) in: Gerhard Richter. Text. Writings, Interviews and Letters 1961-2007, Thames & Hudson, London, 2009, p. 213.
[7] Ortrud Westheider, “Eine Idee, die bis zum Tod geht. Der Zyklus 18. Oktober 1977“, in: Uwe M. Schneede (ed.), Gerhard Richter. Bilder einer Epoche, exh. cat. Bucerius Kunst-Forum, Munich, 2011, p. 175.
[8] Kai-Uwe Hemken, Gerhard Richter 18. Oktober 1977, Fischer, Frankfurt/Leipzig, 1998, p. 88.
Notes prepared by editorial team
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, USA
editThis artwork is based on an image included in Atlas:
This Atlas sheet includes the source images of the following works:
This artwork was shown in the following exhibitions:
This artwork is included in the following publications:
Title | Author | Date | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Richter Interviews | Obrist, Hans Ulrich / Richter, Gerhard edit | 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Wo Es war. Vier Briefe an Gerhard Richter | Didi-Huberman, Georges edit | 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Unconsolable Contemporary: Observing Gerhard Richter | Rabinow, Paul edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: The Life of Images | Hawker, Rosemary edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Robert Storr: Interviews on Art | Storr, Robert edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Typewriters, Bombs, Jellyfish: Essays | McCarthy, Tom edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Über Malen / Frühe Bilder | edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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B: Blickfänger | Härtel, Insa / Pazzini, Karl-Josef edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
The Absent Museum | Snauwaert, Dirk / Borja-Villel, Manuel / David, Catherine / Esche, Charles edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Die Editionen | edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter | Elger, Dietmar / Fajt, Jiří edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Photography, Trace, and Trauma | Iversen, Margaret edit | 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Gerhard Richter. 14 Panes of Glass for Toyoshima, dedicated to futility | Elger, Dietmar / Hayashi, Sumi edit | 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Elective Affinities. German Art since the Late 1960s | edit | 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Artwork of Gerhard Richter. Painting, critical theory and cultural transformation | Ansted, Darryn edit | 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Abstraction and Appearance | Moorhouse, Paul edit | 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Das Abenteuer unserer Sammlung Kunst nach 1945 aus den Kunstmuseen Krefeld | Hentschel, Martin / Holzhey, Magdalena / Janzen, Thomas / Martin, Sylvia edit | 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Painting | Shimizu, Minoru edit | 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Art of Gerhard Richter. Hermeneutics, Images, Meaning | Lotz, Christian edit | 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Düsseldorf Art Academy. Making History since 1945 | Kunstakademie Düsseldorf edit | 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
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Time Present. Photography from the Deutsche Bank Collection | Ng, Rachel / März, Christina / Hütte, Friedhelm / Lingham, Susie / Lim, Philip edit | 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
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Time Present. Photography from The Deutsche Bank Collection | Krause, Stefan / Koerner von Gustorf, Oliver / Cloete, Alan / Chadha, Gunit / Hütte, Friedhelm / Liebscher, Martin / Campany, David edit | 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
The catalogue Gerhard Richter. Pictures / Series accompanies Gerhard Richter’s exhibition at the Fondation Beyeler. The show is curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, a longstanding friend of Richter ... |
Gerhard Richter: Pictures / Series | Didi-Huberman, Georges / Elger, Dietmar / Kono, Michiko / Obrist, Hans Ulrich / Schwarz, Dieter edit | 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
The catalogue Gerhard Richter. Bilder / Serien accompanies Gerhard Richter’s eponymous exhibition at the Fondation Beyeler. The show is curated by Hans Ulrich Obrist, a longstanding friend of Richter ... |
Gerhard Richter: Bilder / Serien | Didi-Huberman, Georges / Elger, Dietmar / Kono, Michiko / Obrist, Hans Ulrich / Schwarz, Dieter edit | 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Germany Divided. Baselitz and his Generation. From the Duerckheim Collection | Stonard, John-Paul / MacGregor, Neil edit | 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Panorama: Retrospektive | Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine edit | 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter, Panorama: une rétrospective = a retrospective | Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine edit | 2012 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
Gerhard Richter. Images of an Era was published on the occasion of the exhibition at Bucerius Kunstforum in Hamburg in 2011. Both the exhibition and the catalogue focus on Richter’s paintings of the 1960s ... |
Gerhard Richter. Images of an Era | Schneede, Uwe M. / Butin, Hubertus / Elger, Dietmar / Rübel, Dietmar / Westheider, Ortrud edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Panorama: A Retrospective | Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The catalogue Gerhard Richter. Atlas displays 783 plates of Gerhard Richter’s Atlas. Atlas is a collection of photographs, newspaper cuttings and sketches, which the artist compiled and then arranged on single sheets ... |
Gerhard Richter. Atlas | Friedel, Helmut edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Übermalt, Verwischt, Ausgelöscht: Das Porträt im 20. Jahrhundert | Mund, Henrike edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Il bordo del mondo: La forma sguardo nella pittura di Gerhard Richter | Garbin, Emanuele edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
Gerhard Richter. Bilder einer Epoche was published on the occasion of the exhibition at Bucerius Kunstforum in Hamburg in 2011. Both the exhibition and the catalogue focus on Richter’s paintings of the 1960s ... |
Gerhard Richter. Bilder einer Epoche | Schneede, Uwe M. / Butin, Hubertus / Elger, Dietmar / Rübel, Dietmar / Westheider, Ortrud edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Gerhard Richter in der Dresdener Galerie is the 7th volume from the publications of the Gerhard Richter Archive Dresden. ... |
Gerhard Richter in der Dresdener Galerie. Schriften des Gerhard Richter Archiv Dresden ; Bd. 7 | Elger, Dietmar edit | 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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In this publication, eminent American scholar and curator Robert Storr offers an authoritative consideration of September, Richter’s 2005 painting made in response to the attacks on the WorldTrade Center of 11 September 2001, ... |
September. A History Painting by Gerhard Richter | Storr, Robert edit | 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
This catalogue was published on the occasion of the exhibition Richter en France at the Musée de Grenoble in 2009. Both the exhibition and catalogue are dedicated to works by Gerhard Richter that belong to public collections and museums in France. ... |
Richter en France | Tosatto, Guy / Criqui, Jean-Pierre / Storsve, Jonas edit | 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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This issue of the Patrimonia series was published on the occasion of the acquisition of the painting Portrait Dr. Knobloch of 1964 by Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden in 2009. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Porträt Dr. Knobloch (Patrimonia 344) | Elger, Dietmar / Roth, Martin / Stange, Eva-Maria edit | 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter. A Life in Painting gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre. ... |
Gerhard Richter. A Life in Painting | Elger, Dietmar edit | 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Richter effect on the regeneration of aesthetics | Kelly, Michael edit | 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre. ... |
Gerhard Richter, Maler | Elger, Dietmar edit | 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
The book was published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. Abstrakte Bilder at Museum Ludwig, Cologne and Haus der Kunst, Munich. The exhibitions were dedicated to Gerhard Richter’s abstract pictures ... |
Gerhard Richter. Large Abstracts | Wilmes, Ulrich / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Söntgen, Beate / Stemmrich, Gregor edit | 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
The book was published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. Abstrakte Bilder at Museum Ludwig, Cologne and Haus der Kunst, Munich. The exhibitions were dedicated to Gerhard Richter’s abstract pictures ... |
Gerhard Richter: Abstrakte Bilder | Wilmes, Ulrich / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Söntgen, Beate / Stemmrich, Gregor edit | 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
The catalogue was published to coincide with the exhibition Gerhard Richter: 4900 Colours at the Serpentine Gallery in London in 2008. ... |
Gerhard Richter. 4900 Colours | Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Gidal, Peter / Pelzer, Birgit / Peyton-Jones, Julia / Obrist, Hans Ulrich edit | 2008 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
Gerhard Richter. Portraits is the first publication that focuses solely on Richter’s portraits, many of which have now gained both recognition and veneration across the globe. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Portraits | Gronert, Stefan / Butin, Hubertus edit | 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
Gerhard Richter. Portraits is the first publication that focuses solely on Richter’s portraits, many of which have now gained both recognition and veneration across the globe. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Portraits | Gronert, Stefan / Butin, Hubertus edit | 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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At 864 pages, this monumental and comprehensive publication maps the ideas, processes, life and times of Gerhard Richter. Conceived and closely edited by Richter himself, Atlas cuts straight to the heart of the artist's work ... |
Gerhard Richter. Atlas | Friedel, Helmut edit | 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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At 864 pages, this monumental and comprehensive publication maps the ideas, processes, life and times of Gerhard Richter. Conceived and closely edited by Richter himself, Atlas cuts straight to the heart of the artist's work ... |
Gerhard Richter. Atlas | Friedel, Helmut edit | 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
This catalogue raisonné records Richter’s works in the years 1993-2004. In his work, Gerhard Richter calls into question painting's boundaries, and the labels applied to painting and theories connected with them. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Catalogue Raisonné 1993–2004 | Zweite, Armin edit | 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Texte: Schriften und Interviews: Revised and Enlarged Edition | Richter, Gerhard / Shimizu, Minoru edit | 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
The catalogue raisonné of Gerhard Richters editions 1965–2004 was published to coincide with exhibitions in Bonn, Lucerne, Emden, Tübingen and Salzburg. ... |
Gerhard Richter: Editions 1965-2004 | edit | 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
The catalogue raisonné of Gerhard Richters editions 1965–2004 was published to coincided with exhibitions in Bonn, Lucerne, Emden, Tübingen and Salzburg. ... |
Gerhard Richter: Editionen 1965-2004 | Butin, Hubertus / Gronert, Stefan edit | 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Gerhard Richter is widely recognized as one of the most significant painters working today, and he is certainly among the most influential. He has worked in a wide range of media since the early 1960s, ... |
Gerhard Richter. Doubt and Belief in Painting | Storr, Robert edit | 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Visions of Modern Art. Painting and Sculpture from the Museum of Modern Art | Elderfield, John / Lowry, Glenn D. / Ganz, Sarah / Storr, Robert / Umland, Anne / Daftari, Fereshteh edit | 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
Published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. 40 Years of Painting at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, this publication represents a broad range of Gerhard Richter's paintings of the last 40 years. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Malerei | Storr, Robert edit | 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre. ... |
Gerhard Richter, Maler | Elger, Dietmar edit | 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
Published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. 40 Years of Painting at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, this publication represents a broad range of Gerhard Richter's paintings of the last 40 years. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Forty Years of Painting | Storr, Robert edit | 2002 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
The catalogue Gerhard Richter. Survey accompanies the eponymous exhibition of the German Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (IfA), which has been composed by Gerhard Richter himself. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Survey | Schwarz, Dieter / Zeller, Ursula / Adriani, Götz edit | 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
The catalogue Gerhard Richter. Übersicht accompanies the eponymous exhibition of the German Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (IfA), which has been composed by Gerhard Richter himself. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Übersicht | Schwarz, Dieter / Zeller, Ursula / Adriani, Götz edit | 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
On October 18, 1977, three young German radicals, members of the militant Baader-Meinhof group, were found dead in a Stuttgart prison; they were pronounced suicides, but many people suspected they had been murdered. ... |
Gerhard Richter. October 18, 1977 | Storr, Robert edit | 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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This catalogue raisonné of Gerhard Richter's drawings encompasses works in pencil, India ink, ballpoint pen, and other drawing media, on both paper and canvas since 1964. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Drawings 1964-1999. Catalogue Raisonné | Schwarz, Dieter / Pelzer, Birgit edit | 2000 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter | Corà, Bruno / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Chevrier, Jean Francois / Moscati, Italo edit | 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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L'image-événement. Représentations de la terreur dans l'œuvre de Willie Doherty et de Gerhard Richter | Lavoie, Vincent edit | 1999 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Gerhard Richter, 18. Oktober 1977. Eine Kunst-Monographie | Hemken, Kai-Uwe edit | 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke, Arnulf Rainer. Sammlung Frieder Burda = Collection Frieder Burda | Poetter, Jochen / Brehm, Margrit / Möckel, Birgit edit | 1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
Designed by the artist himself, this publication gives a rare insight into one of the most intensive work periods (1995–1996) of Richter’s life. ... |
Gerhard Richter. 100 Bilder | Obrist, Hans Ulrich / Pelzer, Birgit / Tosatto, Guy edit | 1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
Designed by the artist himself, this publication gives a rare insight into one of the most intensive work periods (1995–1996) of Richter’s life. ... |
Gerhard Richter. 100 Pictures | Obrist, Hans Ulrich / Pelzer, Birgit / Tosatto, Guy edit | 1996 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
This limited edition reproduces in facsimile each of the twenty-three Richter works executed on pages of the book Stammheim. Der Prozess gegen die Rote Armee Fraktion by Pieter H. Bakker Schut ... |
Stammheim. Gerhard Richter | Seymour, Anne edit | 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Aus der Sammlung. Nach 25 Jahren | Grisebach, Lucius / Braunsberg, Günter edit | 1992 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Zu Richters Oktober-Bildern | Butin, Hubertus edit | 1991 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Museum für Moderne Kunst und Sammlung Ströher | edit | 1991 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter: Atlas | Zweite, Armin edit | 1989 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
Gerhard Richter 1988/89 | Schampers, Karel / Tilroe, Anna / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. edit | 1989 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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18. Oktober 1977 | Ammann, Jean-Christophe edit | 1989 |
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