Gerhard Richter. Valós látszat

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.
Besides an evaluation of numerous letters and material from the Gerhard Richter archive, the book includes conversations with the artist as well as several of his contemporaries. Dietmar Elger, director of the Gerhard Richter Archive, describes Richter’s daily studio routine and his creative process. Thanks to detailed background information, this book contributes to an understanding of Richter’s art in connection with his life.

This English translation of the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler by Dietmar Elger, published in 2009, was slightly revised for the Anglophone reader.

The book Gerhard Richter. Aquarelle und Zeichnungen was published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. Retrospektive at the Albertina in Vienna in 2009.
Unlike in the artist’s previous retrospectives, Gerhard Richter’s graphics are given a prominent place. The exhibited works on paper span a period of 40 years, from 1966 to 2006. This overview shows how Richter’s drawings and watercolours initially focused on the abstract, and also show to what extent they interact with his paintings.

The book includes a foreword by Klaus Albrecht Schröder and an essay by Barbara Steffen.