Reading (1994) by Gerhard Richter

Reading - Gerhard Richter - 1994

Artwork Information

TitleReading
ArtistGerhard Richter
Date1994
MediumOil on linen
Dimensions(72.4 x 102.2 cm)
Art MovementNew European Painting
Current LocationSan Francisco Museum of Modern Art
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About Reading

“Reading,” an artwork by Gerhard Richter created in 1994, is an oil on linen painting that measures 72.4 x 102.2 cm. The piece is a part of the New European Painting movement and is currently housed in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. This painting is characteristic of Richter’s signature blur technique, where the outlines and colors merge softly, contributing to an impressionistic ambience.

The painting depicts a woman absorbed in reading a pamphlet or booklet. Rendered in a photorealistic style with a deliberate soft-focus effect, it presents the subject in profile with a luminous side-light that gently highlights her features and the reading material. The woman’s hair is elegantly pulled back, revealing her ear and a clip or ornamental hair accessory. The chiaroscuro effect, the interplay between light and shadow, grants the scene a serene atmosphere, suggesting a quiet moment of private engagement with the text. The background is intentionally subdued and non-distracting, emphasizing the quiet concentration of the woman and the act of reading itself.

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