These rarely-exhibited townscapes, numbered 224 in Gerhard Richter's catalogue raisonné [CR: 224/6-10, 17-18], share one characteristic: the motifs are reduced to just a few shades of grey, reminiscent of stencil printing.
The townscapes do not show the extensive road networks as in aerial photography [CR: 171, 175–177-3, 249–251], nor do they depict the clear geometrical order that characterises Richter's pictures of architectural models [CR: 217–219]. Instead the paintings show houses closely built together. The diversity of the buildings indicates the structure of a town or city that has grown over the years.
The architectural forms were greatly simplified by the artist. Richter joins together grey-coloured fields with quick and impasto brushwork, while he foregoes any detailed elaboration.
Although the buildings are depicted in perspective, it is the use of contrast that is most striking to the beholder: lighter shades stand out, whereas darker ones fade into the background. The perspective effect generated this way seems to be of more importance than the depicted motif itself.
Gerhard Richter confirms that this series of paintings is above all about painterly qualities and that identifying the location of what is depicted plays only a minor role: 'towns and mountains from a bird's-eye view (abandonment of the conception of interesting content and illusionistic painting; a spot of paint should be a spot of paint, and the motif needn't have a message or allow for interpretation).'1
1 'Work Overview', 1968 in: Gerhard Richter: Text. Writings, Interviews and Letters 1961–2007, Thames & Hudson, London, 2009, p. 53
Notes prepared by editorial team
Sotheby's, London, UK: 28 June 1995
GBP 38,000 | |
USD 60,365 |
Olbricht Collection
This artwork was shown in the following exhibitions::
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Gerhard Richter und die Geschichte Deutschlands | Jenni-Preihs, Monika edit | 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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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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Il bordo del mondo: La forma sguardo nella pittura di Gerhard Richter | Garbin, Emanuele edit | 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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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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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 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 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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Rockers Island. Olbricht Collection | edit | 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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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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Exhibitions
This catalogue raisonné records Richter’s works in the years 1999-2004. In his work, Gerhard Richter calls into question painting's boundaries, and the labels applied to painting and theories connected with them. ... |
Gerhard Richter. Werkverzeichnis 1993-2004 | Zweite, Armin edit | 2005 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Moving Energies. Aspekte der Sammlung Olbricht, Part 03/2: Gerhard Richter | Brehm, Margrit edit | 2004 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Gerhard Richter | Corà, Bruno / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Chevrier, Jean Francois / Moscati, Italo 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
Three-volume box set. Vol. 1: Illustrated works in exhibition. This volume (196 pp) contains approximately 92 four-colour and black and white plates (272 total works reproduced), ... |
Gerhard Richter: Catalogue Raisonné 1962 - 1993 | Pagé, Suzanne / Jacob, Wenzel / Springfield, Björn / König, Kasper / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. edit | 1993 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions
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Gerhard Richter. Bilder = Paintings 1962 - 1985 | Harten, Jürgen / Hering, Karl-Heinz / Honisch, Dieter / Loock, Ulrich / Ronte, Dieter / Elger, Dietmar edit | 1986 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Exhibitions |
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 |
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Ausstellung in Düsseldorf: Gerhard Richters radikaler Neuanfang | Meister, Helga | 2021 |