Untitled

Untitled

Gerhard Richter

1989

oil

From the collection of Museum of Modern Art

About this work

This painting looks like a messy forest at dusk. Thick black brushstrokes make jagged trees dripping with rain, while bright yellows and greens clash underneath. The colors are sloppy—some areas look wet and smudged, others sharp and rough. Shadows feel heavy, like the paint was scraped on fast. The artist mixed smooth and rough textures, almost like they were in a hurry. The way the paint sits on the paper is uneven, with some spots thick and others thin. Try looking up impasto to see how this technique works.

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