Gerhard Richter at the Fondation Louis Vuitton

Sixty years of painting and experimentation

The Fondation Louis Vuitton presents an exceptional retrospective of Gerhard Richter, one of the most influential German artists of his generation. Born in Dresden in 1932 and based in Cologne since the 1960s, Richter is presenting in Paris over 270 works spanning six decades, from 1962 to 2024. Oil paintings, drawings, watercolors, glass and steel sculptures, and reworked photographs… each medium becomes a space for experimentation where the artist continually pushes the boundaries of painting.

A unique approach to painting

Richter never paints directly from nature. Each work emerges from an interpretation of a photograph, drawing, or pre-existing image, creating an autonomous and singular creation. From the very beginning, he has focused on portraits, landscapes, and still lifes, infusing them with modernity and a fresh perspective. Over the years, he has explored abstraction, transforming color into a living material and sometimes allowing chance to guide his brush.

The evolution of his work

The exhibition follows a chronological path, allowing visitors to trace Richter’s development from his early photo-based paintings to his latest abstractions. In the 1960s, he questioned representation by drawing inspiration from newspaper photographs and family portraits, while also exploring the shadows of recent German history. The 1970s marked a period of reflection on the dissolution of the image and repetition, while abstraction became central from the late 1970s, with the surface of the painting and the brushstroke itself becoming the subject. In the following decade, his work took on a more introspective and historical dimension, with iconic series such as October 18, 1977, while color and chance became central to his creative process in the late 1990s and 2000s, exemplified by works like 4900 Colors and his tributes to John Cage. His final paintings, inspired by photographs of extermination camps and his abstract explorations, demonstrate an artist who constantly reinvents himself and continues today to draw with the same intensity.

An immersive experience

The exhibition also features rooms dedicated to drawings, watercolors, and painted photographs, as well as sculptures placed at key moments in the exhibition, providing a contemplative rhythm and interludes throughout the visit. Every space in the Fondation invites visitors to immerse themselves in Richter’s rich and complex universe, where technique, experimentation, and history come together to offer a complete artistic experience.

The Gerhard Richter retrospective at the Fondation Louis Vuitton is a unique opportunity to discover or rediscover a painter who has profoundly marked contemporary art history and whose work continues to captivate with its ability to reinvent painting.

Open until 03/02/26. Daily except Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday–Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Photo ©Fabio Traina - Unsplash