Cage f.ff III
Cage f.ff III
Signed Print
Gerhard Richter
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90 x 90cm, Edition of 30, Lithograph
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Meaning & Analysis
Product of the creative genius of acclaimed German artist, Gerhard Richter, Cage f.ff III is a signed lithograph print from 2015. Issued in a limited edition of 30 and part of the Cage f.ff series, it is a standout example of Richter’s signature approach to abstraction: an artistic methodology - and philosophy - with which he first began to experiment in the 1970s. The print is after a 2006 painting by Richter, which itself is part of the Cage series.
Like other prints that make up Richter’s Cage f.ff series, such as Cage f.ff II, Cage f.ff III is a standout example of Richter’s approach to abstraction - a practice that opposes itself to the artist’s many realist and photorealist paintings of historical figures and family members, such as Betty (1991), Elisabeth II (1966), and Onkel Rudi (2000). In this work, greys, whites, reds, and blues collide in a chaotic, dynamic assemblage of oil paint; an almost three-dimensional piece made ‘flat’, the work is sure to reference the process of its own construction.
To construct these unique abstract works, after which these lithograph prints are made, Richter first paints a canvas with a base layer of colour. As his assistants confirm, to do this Richter restricts himself to using so-called ‘classic’ colours, including titanium white, ivory black, cadmium, ultramarine blue, and lemon yellow. When making his abstract paintings, Richter never uses earth tones. Once a base layer of colour is applied, Richter disrupts the individual layers of paint with large home-made ‘squeegees’, themselves daubed with new and often conflicting tones of oil paint.
Hailing from Germany, Gerhard Richter has not been confined to one visual style. A testament to versatility and artistic diversity, Richter's work spans from photorealism to abstraction and conceptual art, and his portfolio is rich in varied media. From creating bold canvases to working on glass to distort the lines between wall-based art and sculpture, Richter has honed in on the blur technique to impart an ambiguity on his creations. To this day, Richter is one of the most recognised artists of the 20th century with his art having been presented in exhibitions worldwide. His global impact underscores his legacy as a trailblazer of artistic exploration.
