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Townscape M2

Stadtbild M2
Townscape M2

1968 85 cm x 90 cm Catalogue Raisonné: 170-2

Oil on canvas

The paintings Townscape M1 up to Townscape M9 [CR: 170/1-9] constitute Gerhard Richter's first series dealing with townscapes. In 1968 Gerhard Richter received the commission to paint a Milan cityscape, which resulted in the creation of Cathedral Square, Milan [CR: 169]. In the course of his preoccupation with the city of Milan as a motif, he also created the paintings Townscape M1 to M9.

Gerhard Richter initially produced one large-scale painting on one canvas, which he later cut into nine almost identically square pieces. The original painting is based on an aerial photograph, which survives on sheet 119 of Richter's Atlas. With Milan Cathedral at its centre, the source photograph allows for the localisation of the individual parts of the picture: Townscape M2 depicts a section of the cathedral's south side and a block of houses next to the cathedral square.

Transforming the aerial photograph into paint, Gerhard Richter enlarged it without adding missing details. Thus, black, white and grey colour patches are liberally applied onto the canvas in a pastose manner.

The original painting's format of 275 x 290 cm was designed to be viewed from a greater distance. The dismantling of the painting into nine smaller formats means the beholder must stand closer in order to view them. What could have, from a distance, been recognised as an aerial image of a city disintegrates into abstract lines and areas when seen close-up.

The series Townscapes M1 up to M9 illustrates Gerhard Richter's engagement in the process of abstraction: starting from a concrete depiction, which was enlarged at first and then cropped, the final image can barely be traced back to the source photograph. The numbering of the single parts of the painting, which do not relate in any way to their initial positions in the original large format, also suggests that any kind of identification is less important to Richter than the painterly process of abstraction.

Notes prepared by editorial team

Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

On permanent loan from Frankfurter Sparkasse, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

This artwork is based on an image included in Atlas:

This artwork was shown in the following exhibitions:

This artwork is included in the following publications:

Title
Author
Date
Gerhard Richter: Über Malen / Frühe Bilder
Schreier, Christoph / Kunstmuseum Bonn (ed.)
2017
Unconsolable Contemporary: Observing Gerhard Richter
Rabinow, Paul
2017

Publisher

Duke University Press, Durham

Year

2017

Details

Softcover, 163 pages

ISBN

9780822370017

Language

English

Category

Monographs

...

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Wolke & Kristall - Die Sammlung Dorothee und Konrad Fischer
Müller-Schareck, Maria (ed.)
2016

Publisher

Kerber Verlag, Bielefeld

Year

2016

Details

Softcover, 300 pages

ISBN

9783735602787

Language

German

Category

Collections

...

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Gerhard Richter: Panorama: Retrospektive
Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine
2012

Publisher

Prestel, München

Year

2012

Editor

Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille

Details

Hardback, 305 pages

ISBN

9783791351896

Language

German

Category

Solo Exhibitions

Exhibitions

...

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Gerhard Richter, Panorama: une rétrospective = a retrospective
Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine
2012

Publisher

Édition du Centre Pompidou, Paris

Year

2012

Editor

Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille

Details

Hardback, 304 pages

ISBN

978-2844265746, 284426574X

Language

French, English

Category

Solo Exhibitions

Exhibitions

...

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Gerhard Richter: Panorama: A Retrospective
Godfrey, Mark / Serota, Nicholas / Brill, Dorothée / Morineau, Camille / Borchardt-Hume, Achim / Dickson, Amy / Haidu, Rachel / Mehring, Christine
2011
Il bordo del mondo: La forma sguardo nella pittura di Gerhard Richter
Garbin, Emanuele
2011

Publisher

Marsilio, Venezia

Year

2011

Details

Softcover, 219 pages

ISBN

9788831711128

Language

Italian

Category

Monographs

...

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September. A History Painting by Gerhard Richter
Storr, Robert
2010

Publisher

Tate Publishing, London

Year

2010

Details

Softcover, 96 pages

ISBN

9781854379641

Language

English

Category

Monographs

In this publication, eminent American scholar and curator Robert Storr offers an authoritative consideration of September, Richter’s 2005 painting made in response to the attacks on the WorldTrade Center of 11 September 2001,

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Gerhard Richter. A Life in Painting
Elger, Dietmar
2009

Publisher

University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL

Year

2009

Details

Hardback, 408 pages

ISBN

9780226203232

Language

English

Category

Monographs

Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter. A Life in Painting gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre.

...
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Gerhard Richter: Abstrakte Bilder
Wilmes, Ulrich / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Söntgen, Beate / Stemmrich, Gregor
2008

Publisher

Hatje Cantz Verlag, Ostfildern-Ruit

Year

2008

Details

Hardback, 160 pages

ISBN

3775722483

Language

German

Category

Solo Exhibitions

Exhibitions

The book was published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. Abstrakte Bilder at Museum Ludwig, Cologne and Haus der Kunst, Munich. The exhibitions were dedicated to Gerhard Richter’s abstract pictures

...
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Gerhard Richter. Large Abstracts
Wilmes, Ulrich / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Söntgen, Beate / Stemmrich, Gregor
2008

Publisher

Hatje Cantz Verlag, Ostfildern-Ruit

Year

2008

Details

Hardback, 160 pages

ISBN

9783775722490

Language

English

Category

Solo Exhibitions

Exhibitions

The book was published on the occasion of the exhibition Gerhard Richter. Abstrakte Bilder at Museum Ludwig, Cologne and Haus der Kunst, Munich. The exhibitions were dedicated to Gerhard Richter’s abstract pictures

...
More Details
Gerhard Richter, Maler
Elger, Dietmar
2008

Publisher

DuMont, Köln

Year

2008

Details

Softcover, 415 pages

ISBN

9783832190651

Language

German

Category

Monographs

Notes

Corrected and extended new edition.

Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre.

...
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Gerhard Richter. Portraits
Gronert, Stefan / Butin, Hubertus
2006

Publisher

Hatje Cantz, Ostildern-Ruit

Year

2006

Details

Hardback, 224 pages

ISBN

9783775717243

Language

German

Category

Monographs

Exhibitions

Gerhard Richter. Portraits is the first publication that focuses solely on Richter’s portraits, many of which have now gained both recognition and veneration across the globe.

...
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Gerhard Richter. Werkverzeichnis 1993-2004
Zweite, Armin
2005

Publisher

Richter Verlag, Düsseldorf in association with D.A.P Distributed Art Publishers, New York, NY

Year

2005

Details

Hardback, 323 pages

ISBN

9783937572208, 978-3937572208

Language

German

Category

Solo Exhibitions

Exhibitions

This catalogue raisonné records Richter’s works in the years 1999-2004. In his work, Gerhard Richter calls into question painting's boundaries, and the labels applied to painting and theories connected with them.

...
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Gerhard Richter. Catalogue Raisonné 1993–2004
Zweite, Armin
2005

Publisher

Richter Verlag, Düsseldorf in association with D.A.P Distributed Art Publishers, New York, NY

Year

2005

Details

Hardback, 324 pages

ISBN

9783937572215, 393757221X

Language

English

Category

Solo Exhibitions

Exhibitions

This catalogue raisonné records Richter’s works in the years 1993-2004. In his work, Gerhard Richter calls into question painting's boundaries, and the labels applied to painting and theories connected with them.

...
More Details
Gerhard Richter, Maler
Elger, Dietmar
2002

Publisher

DuMont, Köln

Year

2002

Details

Hardback, 420 pages

ISBN

9783832158484

Language

German

Category

Monographs

Gerhard Richter has been widely regarded as a publicity shy artist. However, the biography Gerhard Richter, Maler gives an insight into Richter’s personal history as well as into the development of his artistic œuvre.

...
More Details
Gerhard Richter
Corà, Bruno / Buchloh, Benjamin H. D. / Chevrier, Jean Francois / Moscati, Italo
1999

Publisher

Gli Ori, Prato

Year

1999

Details

Softcover, 205 pages

ISBN

8887700079

Language

Italian, English

Category

Solo Exhibitions

Exhibitions

...

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Gerhard Richter, 18. Oktober 1977. Eine Kunst-Monographie
Hemken, Kai-Uwe
1998

Publisher

Insel-Verlag, Frankfurt a. M.

Year

1998

Details

Softcover, 172 pages

ISBN

345833937X

Language

German

Category

Monographs

...

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Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke, Arnulf Rainer. Sammlung Frieder Burda = Collection Frieder Burda
Poetter, Jochen / Brehm, Margrit / Möckel, Birgit
1996

Publisher

Hatje Cantz Verlag, Ostfildern-Ruit

Year

1996

Details

Hardback, 311 pages

ISBN

3893228608

Language

English, German

Category

Group Exhibitions

Exhibitions

...

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Gerhard Richter
Rainbird, Sean / Severne, Judith
1991

Publisher

Tate Publishing, London

Year

1991

Details

144 pages

ISBN

9781854370846

Language

English

Category

Solo Exhibitions

Exhibitions

...

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Gerhard Richter. Bilder = Paintings 1962 - 1985
Harten, Jürgen / Hering, Karl-Heinz / Honisch, Dieter / Loock, Ulrich / Ronte, Dieter / Elger, Dietmar
1986
Gerhard Richter
Honnef, Klaus
1976

Publisher

Verlag Aurel Bongers, Recklinghausen

Year

1976

Details

Hardback, 72 pages

ISBN

3764702877

Language

German

Category

Monographs

Notes

Monographien zur rheinisch-westfälischen Kunst der Gegenwart, Volume 50.

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Gerhard Richter. 36. Biennale di Venezia, Padiglione tedesco = 36. Biennale in Venedig, Deutscher Pavilion = 36. Biennale in Venice, German Pavilion
Honisch, Dieter / Helms, Dietrich / Honnef, Klaus / Ohff, Heinz / Dienst, Rolf Gunther / Schön, Rolf / Polke, Sigmar
1972

Publisher

Museum Folkwang, Essen

Year

1972

Details

Hardback, 154 pages

Language

Italian, German, English

Category

Solo Exhibitions

Exhibitions

...

More Details