Gerhard Richter, one of the world’s most renowned contemporary artists

Gerhard Richter is a renowned artist who graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts. His works are currently highly valued on the art market. Some of his paintings are even worth a fortune. What are his specialities? What distinguishes him from other artists of his time?

Who is Gerhard Richter?

Born on 9 February 1932 in Dresden, Germany, Gerhard Richter is a gifted muralist. He studied at the art school in his home town, specialising in socialist realist painting, and graduated in 1956. During his trip to Kassel in 1961, he was fascinated by the works of some of the leading artists such as Lucio Fontana and Jean Fautrier. He decided to continue his studies at “the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts” to learn about “avant-garde art”. Being also a photographer, he painted his own pictures. Thanks to his talent, he became a teacher at several art schools.

What makes Gerhard Richter's works different?

Gerhard Richter is a polymorphic painter, initially focusing on figurative subjects. Later he turned to abstract works. German history is his favourite theme. But he also painted landscapes, still lives and even intimate scenes. He painted his first work "Tisch" in 1962. Inspired by his first wife Marianne Euringer, he painted "Emma, Akt auf einer Treppe". He then painted three pictures of his daughter Betty. In 1990 he also painted a portrait of his second wife, Isa Genzken, and in 1996 his self-portrait. The artist began to gain an international reputation in the 1980s.

What is the value of Gerhard Richter's works?

Gerhard Richter organised his first exhibition in 1972 with the help of the various works he had collected (photographs, paintings, etc.). He organised a retrospective exhibition at the K20 Museum of Contemporary Art in 2005. He then took part in several exhibitions, such as the painting of private collections at the Frieder Burda Museum in 2008 and the "abstract paintings" at the Marian Goodman Gallery in 2008. The artist's paintings are highly regarded worldwide. In fact, he has been ranked as one of the most expensive painters, based on his recent sales. For example, an abstract work is currently worth several million dollars. "Ema, nude descendinga staircase" sold for several hundred thousand dollars in New York. Similarly, "Domplatz, Mailand", a figurative work, broke all records in 2013.

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