Lot 649 D

During the 1980s, Gerhard Richter repeatedly occupied himself with watercolour painting over longer periods of time. In the small-format, vibrantly coloured works, in which pencil and oil pastel chalk are also partially included; the artist explores the creative options of this technique. Both transparent and opaque paint applications are equally present, the uncontrolled blooming of colour streaks being largely avoided. The watercolours are created in several work stages; meanwhile, the paint layer applied last was able to dry. Due to this work process, chance as a characteristic element of watercolour painting and the artist's control over the paint balance each other out. Pictorial spaces of pronounced complexity and three-dimensionality are created.
During spring 1988, Richter worked on an extensive series of works of small abstract watercolours; between 17th March and 4th May 1988, he created almost one work per day. From the partly quite dark compositions, in which blue, red and green tones dominate, the work offered here stands out with its fresh, bright colouring. Lemon yellow and magenta red are predominant; the paint applied in delicate, transparent layers lies like a veil over the paper, making the structure of the paper visible.

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