Gerhard Richter

Gerhard richter

Gerhard Richter (February 9, 1932) is a celebrated German visual artist known for both abstract and photorealistic works, as well as photography and glass pieces. Recognized as one of Germany’s most influential contemporary artists, Richter’s works have set record auction prices, and he was once the most expensive living painter. He has been described as the “greatest living painter,” the “world’s most important artist,” and even the “Picasso of the 21st century.”

Richter was born in Dresden and grew up in the rural regions of Reichenau (now Bogatynia, Poland) and Waltersdorf. His father, Horst Richter, worked as a teacher, while his mother, Hildegard Schönfelder, cultivated interests in literature and music, inspired by her own family’s artistic background. With the rise of National Socialism, Horst was required to join the Nazi Party, although he remained largely apolitical. As a child, Gerhard was conscripted into the Deutsches Jungvolk, though he did not participate in the Hitler Youth due to the war’s end. The family endured personal tragedies during this period, including the deaths of two of Hildegard’s brothers in combat and the loss of her sister in the Nazi euthanasia program.