Marianne Goodman Gallery, New York
Private Collection

These works are in very good condition overall. There are scattered pinpoint inconsistencies in the enamel which appear to be a result of air in the enamel and are inherent to the artist's working method. Additionally there is an 1/8 inch smudge in the enamel which appears to have occurred in drying process of the enamel which is located in the center green square in the bottom row of number 902-10. Otherwise, there are no apparent condition problems with these works. Unframed.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Gerhard Richter completed his first series of Color Charts in 1966. He had previously worked almost exclusively in a palette of gray, most famously in the blurred paintings of amateur snapshots that were central to his work in the early 1960s. The move into color coincided with a shift away from pictorial representation.  His first Color Charts reduced an image to building blocks of color, but he gradually abandoned images as a starting point in favor of the random placement of colors on a grid, exploring simultaneously the laws of chance and the essence of color as an artist's tool. His abandonment of orthodox color theory and aesthetic considerations was in part a reaction against the religiosity of the way people glorified abstract art at the time (Hans Ulrich Obrist, ed., G Richter: The Daily Practice of Painting, London 1995, p. 41). Richter used paint itself as a Readymade, in the fo🐷rm of the industrial color charts used in paint shops.  Even the colors themselves were determined by a mathematical system for mixing primary colors in graduated amounts, creating 4096🐷 distinct color tones. 

In 2002, Richter was commissioned to design the transept window for Cologne cathedral, replacing a 19^th century window that had been destroyed in World War II. Quite by chance, he happened to lay a template of the window's frame on a reproduction of one of his color charts and was struck by the result. His initial design borrowed from his 1974 painting, 4096 Colors, however the random color placement resulted in patches of pale, nearly translucent glass. Richter proceeded to experiment with color combinations, seeking the tonal balance that would achieve the most even illumination possible.  The result was the creation of a stunning new series of color grid works, his first since 1974.&nꦯbsp;The completed window was unveiled to public acclaim in August 2007 and consisted of 11,500 hand-blown glass squares in 72 colors. There is a sense in which Richter's Color Charts have come full circle, from a critique of the glorification of abstraction to an evo🤪cation of the holy presence in a symphony of color.