The painting Folding Dryer depicts a clipping of a newspaper advertisement for a drying rack. Gerhard Richter reproduced the advertising photograph, a part of the descriptive text as well as the light-coloured background of the newspaper page. The square photograph shows a dark-haired woman demonstrating the handling of the drying rack by hanging a cloth on the line. Below the photograph, slightly shifted to the left, a black border frames the caption Faltbarer Trockner and some practical information about the measurements and the price of 8,70 DM, which is cropped in the painting. In places the painting appears to be rendered sketchily. The face of the woman resembles a mask; her blouse and skirt on the right side are smudged into the background.

The source image of this painting is included on sheet 10 of Gerhard Richter's Atlas. The format of the newspaper clipping is almost consistent with the detail depicted in the painting. The text of the advertisement however, shows discrepancies between painting and source image: Richter modified the text “5,60 m Trockenlänge bei geringem Platzverbrauch” [5.60 m drying length, less space required] to “5,60 m Trockenlängen!” adding an incorrect plural as well as an exclamation mark. When transferring the advertisement onto canvas, Richter divided the image into squares, which can still be seen in the source image in Atlas.

Gerhard Richter describes why he was interested in the motif as follows: “I didn't find the clothes-dryer ironic; there was something tragic about it, because it represented life in low-cost housing with nowhere to hang the washing. It was my own clothes-dryer, which I rediscovered in a newspaper – objectivized, as it were.”¹

Gerhard Richter's preoccupation with everyday objects and advertisements was influenced by the ideas of Pop Art, but goes beyond. As the quote shows, socio-critical aspects also had an effect on Richter's choice of motif. One year before he created this painting, Richter moved from the GDR to West Germany. The examination of the capitalist West as well as Richter's own search for his place in society are mirrored in such paintings as Folding Dryer.
 

¹ Interview with Sabine Schütz, 1990 in: Gerhard Richter: Text. Writings, Interviews and Letters 1961–2007, Thames & Hudson, London, 2009, p. 253.

Notes prepared by editorial team

Froehlich Collection, Stuttgart, Germany

This artwork is based on an image included in Atlas:

Zeitungsfotos
Newspaper photos 1962-1968 Atlas Sheet: 10 edit

This Atlas sheet includes the source images of the following works:

This artwork is included in the following publications:

		Title		Author		Date
Issue 01 January 2017 Publisher Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Details Hardback, 159 pages ISBN 9781921503870 Language English Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 154 Illustrated: p. 112 (colour) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: The Life of Images, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, Australia, 2017		Gerhard Richter: The Life of Images		Hawker, Rosemary edit		2017
Issue 01 January 2017 Publisher The National Gallery in Prague, Prague Details Softcover, 205 pages ISBN 9788070356463 Language English Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 20 Discussed: pp. 46 Illustrated: p. 47 (colour) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter, Národní galerie v Praze (National Gallery), Prague, Czech Republic, 2017		Gerhard Richter		Elger, Dietmar / Fajt, Jiří edit		2017
Issue 01 January 2014 Publisher Walther König, Köln Details Hardback, 247 pages ISBN 9783863356484 Language German Category Group Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 75, 226 Illustrated: p. 36 (colour) Exhibitions German Pop, Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 2014		German Pop		Hollein, Max / Weinhart, Martina / Niggl, Selima / Rübel, Dietmar / Bayrle, Thomas / Block, René / Schleiffenbaum, Lea / Müller, Helmut edit		2014
Issue 01 January 2012 Publisher Édition du Centre Pompidou, Paris Editor Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille Details Hardback, 304 pages ISBN 978-2844265746 ISBN 284426574X Language French English Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 38, 296 Illustrated: p. 48 (colour) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Panorama, Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France, 2012		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
Issue 01 January 2012 Publisher Prestel, München Editor Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille Details Hardback, 305 pages ISBN 9783791351896 Language German Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 39, 296 Illustrated: p. 48 (colour) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Panorama, Neue und Alte Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 2012		Gerhard Richter: Panorama: Retrospektive		Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine edit		2012
Issue 01 January 2011 Publisher Hirmer Publishers, Munich copublished by Heni Publishing, London and Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, NY and Paris Details Hardback, 214 pages ISBN 9783777450018 Language English Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 20, 21, 62, 109, 194 Illustrated: p. 114, 194 (colour) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Images of an Era, Bucerius Kunst Forum, Hamburg, Germany, 2011  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 ... More Details		Gerhard Richter. Images of an Era		Schneede, Uwe M. / Butin, Hubertus / Elger, Dietmar / Rübel, Dietmar / Westheider, Ortrud edit		2011
Issue 01 January 2011 Publisher Tate Publishing, London Details Softcover, 288 pages ISBN 1854379453 ISBN 978-1854379450 Language English Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 38, 39, 296 Illustrated: p. 48 (colour) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Panorama, Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France, 2011  Gerhard Richter: Panorama, Neue und Alte Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 2011  Gerhard Richter: Panorama, Tate Modern, London, UK, 2011		Gerhard Richter: Panorama: A Retrospective		Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine edit		2011
Issue 01 January 2011 Publisher Hatje Cantz Verlag, Ostfildern-Ruit Details Hardback, 192 pages ISBN 9783775726382 Language German Category Monographs Artwork Mentioned: pp. 19		Gerhard Richter. Landschaften		Butin, Hubertus / Bätschmann, Oskar / Elger, Dietmar edit		2011
Issue 01 January 2011 Publisher Hatje Cantz, Ostfildern-Ruit Details Hardback, 192 pages ISBN 9783775726399 Language English Category Monographs Artwork Mentioned: pp. 18, 19		Gerhard Richter. Landscapes		Butin, Hubertus / Bätschmann, Oskar / Elger, Dietmar edit		2011
Issue 01 January 2011 Publisher Hirmer Verlag, München Details Hardback, 214 pages ISBN 9783777434513 Language German Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 20, 21, 63, 109, 194 Illustrated: p. 114, 194 (colour) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Images of an Era, Bucerius Kunst Forum, Hamburg, Germany, 2011  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 ... More Details		Gerhard Richter. Bilder einer Epoche		Schneede, Uwe M. / Butin, Hubertus / Elger, Dietmar / Rübel, Dietmar / Westheider, Ortrud edit		2011
Issue 01 January 2009 Publisher DuMont, Köln Details Hardback, 176 pages ISBN 9783832191542 Language German Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 169 Illustrated: p. 21 (colour) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK, 2009  The catalogue of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery, London in 2009 focuses on Richter's portraiture. ... More Details		Die Porträts von Gerhard Richter		Moorhouse, Paul edit		2009
Issue 01 January 2009 Publisher National Portrait Gallery Publications, London Details Hardback, 176 pages ISBN 9781855143975 Language English Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 169 Illustrated: p. 21 (colour) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, London, UK, 2009  The catalogue of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery, London in 2009 focuses on Richter's portraiture. ... More Details		Gerhard Richter. Portraits. Painting Appearances		Moorhouse, Paul edit		2009
Issue 01 January 2009 Publisher University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL Details Hardback, 408 pages ISBN 9780226203232 Language English Category Monographs Artwork Mentioned: pp. 168, 208 Discussed: pp. 129 Illustrated: p. 130 (b/w) 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. ... More Details		Gerhard Richter. A Life in Painting		Elger, Dietmar edit		2009
Issue 01 January 2008 Publisher DuMont, Köln Details Softcover, 415 pages ISBN 9783832190651 Language German Category Monographs Notes Corrected and extended new edition. Artwork Mentioned: pp. 101, 188 Discussed: pp. 151, 153 Illustrated: p. 151 (b/w) 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. ... More Details		Gerhard Richter, Maler		Elger, Dietmar edit		2008
Issue 01 January 2008 Publisher Hatje Cantz Verlag, Ostfildern-Ruit Details Hardback, 184 pages ISBN 9783775721363 Language German Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 19 Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Paintings From Private Collections, MKM Museum Küppersmühle für Moderne Kunst, Duisburg, Germany, 2008  Gerhard Richter: Retrospective, Albertina, Vienna, Austria, 2008  Gerhard Richter: Paintings from Private Collections, Museum Frieder Burda, Baden-Baden, Germany, 2008  The catalogue Gerhard Richter: Bilder aus privaten Sammlungen was published to coincide with exhibitions in Baden-Baden, Beijing, Edinburgh, Vienna and Duisburg in 2008 and 2009. ... More Details		Gerhard Richter. Bilder aus privaten Sammlungen		Adriani, Götz / Schwarz, Dieter edit		2008
Issue 01 January 2005 Publisher Hatje Cantz Verlag, Ostfildern-Ruit / Museum Franz Gertsch, Burgdorf Details Hardback, 96 pages ISBN 9783775715836 Language German English Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 12, 13 Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Without Colour, Museum Franz Gertsch, Burgdorf, Switzerland, 2005		Gerhard Richter. Ohne Farbe = Without Color		Spieler, Reinhard / Gelshorn, Julian / Kania, Elke / Krystof, Doris edit		2005
Issue 01 January 2002 Publisher DuMont, Köln Details Hardback, 420 pages ISBN 9783832158484 Language German Category Monographs Artwork Mentioned: pp. 108, 208 Discussed: pp. 168 Illustrated: p. 169 (b/w) 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. ... More Details		Gerhard Richter, Maler		Elger, Dietmar edit		2002
Issue 01 January 2000 Publisher Richter Verlag, Düsseldorf Details Hardback, 340 pages ISBN 9783933807045 Language English Category Monographs Artwork Illustrated: p. 12 (b/w) 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. ... More Details		Gerhard Richter. Drawings 1964-1999. Catalogue Raisonné		Schwarz, Dieter / Pelzer, Birgit edit		2000
Issue 01 January 1993 Publisher Insel Verlag, Frankfurt a. M. Details Softcover, 277 pages ISBN 3458165606 Language German Category Monographs Artwork Mentioned: pp. 199, 200		Text: Schriften und Interviews		Richter, Gerhard / Obrist, Hans Ulrich edit		1993
Issue 01 January 1990 Publisher Galerie-Verein, München Details Hardback, Volume I (87), Volume II (253) pages Language German Category Group Exhibitions Notes Vol. 1: Bilder und Objekte in der Staatsgalerie Moderner Kunst München Vol. 2: Zeichnungen und Druckgraphik in der Staatlichen Graphischen Sammlung München Artwork Mentioned: pp. 20 Exhibitions Art Is Art Is Art: Galerie-Verein München 1965–1990, Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany, 1990		Kunst ist Kunst ist Kunst. Der Galerie-Verein München, 1965-1990. Eine Auswahl der Sammlung in der Staatsgalerie moderner Kunst und in der Staatlichen Graphischen Sammlung		Goedl, Monika / Sonnenburg, Hubertus F. von / Bischoff, Ulrich / Schulz-Hoffmann, Carla / Rein, Ingrid / Sattler, Katharina / Holler, Wolfgang / Falk, Tilman edit		1990
Issue 01 January 1989 Publisher DuMont, Köln Details Hardback, 544 pages ISBN 3770123727 Language German Category Group Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 529 Illustrated: p. 336 (colour) Exhibitions Image Clash: Contradiction, Unification and Fragmentation in Art since 1960, Museum Ludwig at Rheinhallen, Cologne, Germany, 1989		Bilderstreit. Widerspruch, Einheit und Fragment in der Kunst seit 1960		Gohr, Siegfried / Gachnang, Johannes edit		1989
Issue 01 January 1989 Publisher Verlag Fred Jahn, München Details Hardback, 236 pages Language German Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 17 Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Atlas of Photographs, Collages and Sketches, Museum Ludwig, Cologne, Germany, 1989  Gerhard Richter: Atlas of Photographs, Collages and Sketches, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich, Germany, 1989		Gerhard Richter: Atlas		Zweite, Armin edit		1989
Issue 01 January 1988 Publisher Prestel, München Details Softcover, 247 pages ISBN 3791309722 Language German Category Group Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 174 Exhibitions Contemporary Art of Drawing: Prince Franz of Bavaria Collection, Staatliche Graphische Sammlung, Munich, Germany, 1988		Zeichenkunst der Gegenwart. Sammlung Prinz Franz von Bayern		Holler, Wolfgang edit		1988
Issue 01 January 1986 Publisher DuMont, Köln Details Softcover, 402 pages ISBN 3770117727 Language German English Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 357 Illustrated: p. 2 (b/w) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Paintings 1962–1985, Museum moderner Kunst/Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts, Vienna, Austria, 1986  Gerhard Richter: Paintings 1963–1986, Kunsthalle Bern, Bern, Switzerland, 1986  Gerhard Richter: Paintings 1962–1985, Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 1986  Gerhard Richter: Paintings 1962–1985, Städtische Kunsthalle Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany, 1986		Gerhard Richter. Bilder = Paintings 1962 - 1985		Harten, Jürgen / Hering, Karl-Heinz / Honisch, Dieter / Loock, Ulrich / Ronte, Dieter / Elger, Dietmar edit		1986
Issue 01 January 1985 Publisher Nicolai, Berlin Details Softcover, 732 pages ISBN 3875841581 Language German Category Group Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 248 Exhibitions 1945-1985: Art in the Federal Republic of Germany, Neue Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 1985		1945-1985. Kunst in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland		Bartmann, Dominik / Grisebach, Lucius / Honisch, Dieter / Schmitz, Britta / Schneider, Angela / Schweinebraden Freiherr von Wichmann-Eichhorn, Jürgen / Svestka, Jiri / Bischoff, Ulrich / Calvocoressi, Richard / Baron Döry, Ludwig / Grochowiak, Thomas / Honnef, Klaus / Wedewer, Rolf edit		1985
Issue 01 January 1978 Publisher Nationalgalerie Berlin, Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin Details Softcover, 144 pages ISBN 3496010037 Language German Category Group Exhibitions Artwork Illustrated: p. 134 (b/w) Exhibitions Aspects of the 1960s: The Reinhard Onnasch Collection, Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany, 1978		Aspekte der 60er Jahre. Aus der Sammlung Reinhard Onnasch		Honisch, Dieter / Onnasch, Reinhard / Lindenberg, Ilona edit		1978
Issue 01 January 1976 Publisher Verlag Aurel Bongers, Recklinghausen Details Hardback, 72 pages ISBN 3764702877 Language German Category Monographs Notes Monographien zur rheinisch-westfälischen Kunst der Gegenwart, Volume 50. Artwork Illustrated: p. 20 (b/w)		Gerhard Richter		Honnef, Klaus edit		1976
Issue 01 January 1972 Publisher Museum Folkwang, Essen Details Hardback, 154 pages Language Italian German English Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 7, 37 Illustrated: p. 46 (b/w) Exhibitions 36th Venice Biennale, German Pavilion, Venice, Italy, 1972		Gerhard Richter. 36. Biennale di Venezia, Padiglione tedesco = 36. Biennale in Venedig, Deutscher Pavilion = 36. Biennale in Venice, German Pavilion		Honisch, Dieter / Helms, Dietrich / Honnef, Klaus / Ohff, Heinz / Dienst, Rolf Gunther / Schön, Rolf / Polke, Sigmar edit		1972
Issue 01 January 1971 Publisher Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen, Düsseldorf Details Softcover, 136 pages Language German Category Solo Exhibitions Artwork Mentioned: pp. 8, 12 Illustrated: p. 49 (b/w) Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Paintings 1962 to 1971, Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen, Düsseldorf, Germany, 1971		Gerhard Richter. Arbeiten 1962-1971		Hering, Karl-Heinz / Helms, Dietrich edit		1971

This artwork is shown or mentioned in the following videos:

Exhibitions Images of an Era Uwe M. Schneede 2011   edit

Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Panorama Udo Kittelmann, Dorothée Brill 2012   edit

Exhibitions Gerhard Richter: Panorama Camille Morineau 2012   edit