Richter’s 2001 abstractions are characterized by their dense, multi-layered surfaces. Using a homemade —a large wooden plank with a rubber edge—Richter would drag wet oil paint across the canvas, partially obscuring the layers beneath while revealing unexpected "accidents" of color and texture.
This blog post explores Abstraktes Bild (Abstract Painting) series from 2001 , specifically focusing on the works exhibited during his landmark transition into the early 2000s. Pleasure #162 (2001)
Gerhard Richter, 873-7 Abstraktes Bild, 2001 | Marian Goodman 55 1/8 x 55 1/8 in. Marian Goodman Gallery Gerhard Richter | Paris | October 20—December 20, 2025 Gerhard Richter, 873-7 Abstraktes Bild, 2001 | Marian
The year 2001 was a pivotal moment for Richter’s legacy. It preceded his massive retrospective at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) , which opened in early 2002. The paintings produced in 2001, often numbered under his Abstraktes Bild (Abstract Painting) catalogue raisonné (such as the 873 series), showcase a seasoned artist at the height of his powers. The Visual Language of 2001 The paintings produced in 2001, often numbered under
Many of the 2001 works were executed on aluminum or alu dibond rather than traditional canvas, giving the paint a distinct, luminous slickness.
If you want to see these masterpieces in person, Richter’s work from this period is frequently featured at major galleries like David Zwirner and the Marian Goodman Gallery . Whether they are smoldering with passion or coolly detached, Richter’s 2001 abstractions remain a testament to the idea that painting is never truly "finished"—it is only ever a captured moment of transformation.
Critics often describe Richter’s process as "un-painting"—a cycle of building up and then violently scraping away, creating a field where every brushstroke is both a creation and a deletion. Why "Pleasure" Matters