Turning 50 in 1982, Gerhard Richter tries to redefine his life and his art. The titles of his paintings, limited to one or two words, do not bring comprehension and coherence. Abstraktes Bild and Ohne Titel are titles like any other.
The Kerzen (candles) are a technical feat with the colorful transition of the halo between flame and abstraction. These vanities also match the metaphysical questions of the artist.
Is it a coincidence ? The highly spectacular skulls by Jean-Michel Basquiat are painted in the same year.
Twenty years earlier in Düsseldorf, Richter had received from a friend a model of human skull. He had not used it yet. In 1983 he photographed this artifact with top or down upside. He makes a small series of paintings while projecting the photographic image on the canvas. The blurring of outlines brings a transition to abstraction. The evanescent image floats somewhere between here and the beyond.
The first series of Schädel (skull) is made of four opus, 545-1 to 545-4, the latter entitled 'Schädel, abstrakt' confirming the desire of the artist to ensure the overall coherence of his work. 546-1 and -2 is a return to Kerzen, probably to maintain the knack. 547-1 shows the skull in the inverted position. In the same position, it is associated with a candle in 547-2.
The series of skulls is finished with 548-1 and -2, as if suddenly the artist had overcome a temporary anguish of death by integrating together the skull, the abstraction and the candle.
These Schädel are extremely rare on the art market. 545-3 was sold for $ 1.5M including premium by Christie's on May 16, 2000. 545-1, oil on canvas 80 x 65 cm, will be sold by Christie's in London on October 4, lot 11. The estimate at £ 12M to £ 18M is unveiled by Christie's in the Auction preview of September 6. Please watch the video shared by Christie's.
unsold
The Kerzen (candles) are a technical feat with the colorful transition of the halo between flame and abstraction. These vanities also match the metaphysical questions of the artist.
Is it a coincidence ? The highly spectacular skulls by Jean-Michel Basquiat are painted in the same year.
Twenty years earlier in Düsseldorf, Richter had received from a friend a model of human skull. He had not used it yet. In 1983 he photographed this artifact with top or down upside. He makes a small series of paintings while projecting the photographic image on the canvas. The blurring of outlines brings a transition to abstraction. The evanescent image floats somewhere between here and the beyond.
The first series of Schädel (skull) is made of four opus, 545-1 to 545-4, the latter entitled 'Schädel, abstrakt' confirming the desire of the artist to ensure the overall coherence of his work. 546-1 and -2 is a return to Kerzen, probably to maintain the knack. 547-1 shows the skull in the inverted position. In the same position, it is associated with a candle in 547-2.
The series of skulls is finished with 548-1 and -2, as if suddenly the artist had overcome a temporary anguish of death by integrating together the skull, the abstraction and the candle.
These Schädel are extremely rare on the art market. 545-3 was sold for $ 1.5M including premium by Christie's on May 16, 2000. 545-1, oil on canvas 80 x 65 cm, will be sold by Christie's in London on October 4, lot 11. The estimate at £ 12M to £ 18M is unveiled by Christie's in the Auction preview of September 6. Please watch the video shared by Christie's.
unsold
Richter’s £12m Skull Stars at Frieze Sales https://t.co/PsUc02CMQJ pic.twitter.com/CRvmLiMhv6
— Art Market Monitor (@artmarket) September 4, 2018
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