GERHARD RICHTER Victoria II, 2003

Published in 2003, as a gift for the employees of the Victoria-Versicherung Insurance company. This is an offset lithograph of “Victoria II” printed on heavy stock paper. Listed in catalogue raisonne Butin/Gronert P. 283. Printed by Achenbach Art Editions, Dusseldorf Germany. This piece was acquired directly from the publisher, who were allowed to sell the prints that were not gifted, without the printed signature.

In 1986, Richter won a commission from insurance company Victoria-Versicherung for two large paintings. Richter wanted to challenge himself not just in concept and design but also in execution, deciding to paint each piece on a single canvas measuring six meters high and four wide. Previously he had painted similarly sized pieces in sections and later admitted that the task was “a little megalomaniacal.” Richter named the paintings “Victoria I” and “Victoria II,” after the company, which commissioned them. These pieces continued his exploration of abstract painting, which characterized his work in the 1980s.