Gerhard Richter. Zufall. Das Kölner Domfenster und 4900 Farben = The Cologne Cathedral Window, and 4900 Colours

Author Diederich, Stephan / Schock-Werner, Barbara / Butin, Hubertus / Pelzer, Birgit
Date 2007
Publisher Verlag der Buchhandlung Walther König, Köln
Details Softcover, 144 pages
ISBN 9783865602985
Language German, English

The book Gerhard Richter. Zufall. The Cologne Cathedral Window, and 4900 Colours examines the creative process behind Richter’s work at Cologne Cathedral [CR: 900]. For almost 4 years he was engaged in the task of creating a contemporary glass window to be installed in the south transept of this sacred gothic building.

Besides analysing the design process, reference is also made to Richter’s colour field paintings of the 1960s and 1970s, which the window is based upon. Images of the work are accompanied by three essays that shed light on the principle of randomness, which played a prominent part in the creation of the Cologne window and 4900 Colours [CR: 902]. Alongside this, the notion of an abstract design being used for a sacred glass window is also discussed from a theological point of view.

Contributions by Stephan Diederich, Barbara Schock-Werner, Hubertus Butin and Birgit Pelzer.