Two Candles is an oil on canvas painting created by renowned German artist Gerhard Richter in 1982. The painting measures 120 x 100 cm and is signed and dated ’82 on the verso. It belongs to the series called ‘candle’, produced during that same year of 1982. It was exhibited at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington DC, along with a few other works of the same series.
The source image for this painting is an illustration found in a book. It’s a simple yet powerful painting made with great technique, portraying two candles in its interior. Richter utilizes both his own style of brushstrokes with Povera techniques to create a realistic look. As part of the candle series, it can be considered as an intimate metaphor to life and its ephemeral nature.
Gerhard Richter is also known for his 1968 Townscape Madrid work, which can be found in many major galleries around Europe and the United States. This exemplary piece has been praised for its contemporary take on representational art, with lines marking both subject matter and form simultaneously. Richter’s use of colour, shape, light and perspective has resulted in him becoming one of the most collected painters today.
