Gerhard Richter's visit to London in 1987 was very important for establishing his European reputation. Back in his studio he prepares fourteen paintings that will be exhibited at the Anthony d'Offay Gallery in March and April 1988. D'Offay is a great helper to artistic creation : in 1986 it had been to this art dealer to be behind the ultimate great series by Warhol later known as the Self portrait Fright wig.
Richter's fourteen abstract paintings occupy the exhibition room like Monet had done with his water lilies in the project of Grandes Décorations. Richter painted them with brush and squeegee using the process developed by him in 1986, obtaining a high brightness by mingling impasto and fluid layers. They also show a new mottled texture that looks vibrant.
Richter has not abandoned his idea about the lack of meaning of art and more specifically of his own painting. The parallel consideration of his series of abstract expressionist "views" with the vision offered by Monet of colors and lights through the London fog is attractive but probably erroneous.
These homogeneous images are differentiated by a title that calls a monument or a location in London. Brick Tower is part of the Tower of London. AB 643-1 Brick Tower, oil on canvas 200 x 140 cm in vertical vision, was sold for £ 14.1 million including premium by Sotheby's on July 1, 2015.
AB 653-1 St James, oil on canvas 200 x 260 cm painted in panoramic format in 1988, is estimated $ 20M for sale by Sotheby's in New York on November 17, lot 6.
SOLD for $ 22.7M including premium
Richter's fourteen abstract paintings occupy the exhibition room like Monet had done with his water lilies in the project of Grandes Décorations. Richter painted them with brush and squeegee using the process developed by him in 1986, obtaining a high brightness by mingling impasto and fluid layers. They also show a new mottled texture that looks vibrant.
Richter has not abandoned his idea about the lack of meaning of art and more specifically of his own painting. The parallel consideration of his series of abstract expressionist "views" with the vision offered by Monet of colors and lights through the London fog is attractive but probably erroneous.
These homogeneous images are differentiated by a title that calls a monument or a location in London. Brick Tower is part of the Tower of London. AB 643-1 Brick Tower, oil on canvas 200 x 140 cm in vertical vision, was sold for £ 14.1 million including premium by Sotheby's on July 1, 2015.
AB 653-1 St James, oil on canvas 200 x 260 cm painted in panoramic format in 1988, is estimated $ 20M for sale by Sotheby's in New York on November 17, lot 6.
SOLD for $ 22.7M including premium
#AuctionUpdate Gerhard Richter’s stunning abstract composition 'A B, St. James' fetches $22.7m pic.twitter.com/mRpkdX5zxm
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) November 18, 2016
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