[Rob Instigator]

Originally Posted by Fred Cracklin

That wasn't my point at all. I was just linking to an older and somewhat supplementary post.

As to the aesthetic validity of "Kerze," of course it's art.

Although, bear in mind that it was made by merely projecting a photograph onto a small canvas and color-matching; or perhaps it was only just color-matched and painted right over the mounted photo itself! What saves it are its formal qualities of color and composition; and the content itself (a painting of a sole candle), provides excellent narrative as a subject. Also to the painting's credit, Richter's "blurring technique" (employed with a dry brush onto partially-dried oils) is somewhat unique (in modern art anyway). I'd like to know more about what possible lacquers and varnishes he uses. And, of course, "Kerze" is really the signature piece (owing to SY and DDN) of Gerhard's hyperrealistic works.

IMO, Mr. Richter owes SY a gratuitous payday. Not that it will ever happen, mind you (i.e., the world is fucked-up). He's getting up there in age anyhow.

BTW, don't get too ired by what you may perhaps perceive as possible provocation, but I've seen "Kerze" (and other similar (he has several candles) hyperreal Richter works like "Skull" too) in person. That candle flame is quite extraordinary. I've also seen a series of larger AbEx canvases by Richter done up in a palette-knifing style with rather garish and brutish colors. As far as "contemporary" German artists go, Anselm Kiefer is better, but I still like Richter.

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3 FOOT BY 3 FOOT IS NOT A SMALL PAINTING