Lougher is delighted to present Gerhard Richter's Vermalung (Grau), 1971, an exceptionally unusual work from the artist's early exploration of abstraction and monochrome painting. Although part of a structured group of 150 works, each sheet was individually painted by Richter, with grey oil paint applied directly by hand to synthetic paper. Every surviving work is therefore visually unique, occupying a fascinating position between an edition and an original painting.

The concept behind Vermalung (Grau) is central to its importance.
Rather than mechanically reproducing a finished image, Richter intervened individually on every sheet. The movement of his finger through the wet oil paint created a different configuration of marks in each example, meaning that no two works are identical.
This tension between repetition and individuality is a recurring concern throughout Richter's practice. Here, the edition becomes a framework within which chance, gesture and authorship can operate.

Artwork Details:

Gerhard Richter
Vermalung (Grau) (Butin 37)
1971
Oil, fingerpainted on synthetic paper
39.8 × 40 cm
Edition of 150
Signed, dated and numbered on the verso
Catalogue reference: Butin 37

The work dates from an important period in Richter's career, when he was deeply engaged with the possibilities of grey as a subject in itself. By stripping away colour and recognisable imagery, Richter directs attention towards surface, movement and the physical act of painting. In Vermalung (Grau), the grey field becomes less a neutral background than a record of the artist's hand, with every movement preserved in the surface. This makes the work particularly interesting when considered alongside the more fully developed abstract paintings that would become such an important part of Richter's later career.