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Kerze II - Signed Print by Gerhard Richter 1989 - MyArtBroker

Kerze II
Signed Print

Gerhard Richter

£80,000-£120,000Value Indicator

$160,000-$240,000 Value Indicator

$140,000-$210,000 Value Indicator

¥720,000-¥1,070,000 Value Indicator

100,000-140,000 Value Indicator

$760,000-$1,140,000 Value Indicator

¥15,410,000-¥23,110,000 Value Indicator

$100,000-$150,000 Value Indicator

2% AAGR

AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.

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Medium: Lithograph

Edition size: 50

Year: 1989

Size: H 90cm x W 90cm

Signed: Yes

Format: Signed Print

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Track auction value trend

The value of Gerhard Richter’s Kerze II (signed) is estimated to be worth between £80,000 and £120,000. This lithograph print, created in 1989, has shown consistent value growth, with an average annual growth rate of 3%. This work has an auction history of 11 total sales since its entry to the market on 8th February 2007. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 50.

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Auction Results

Auction DateAuction HouseLocation
Hammer Price
Return to Seller
Buyer Paid
Lempertz, Cologne Germany
December 2022Bonhams New Bond Street United Kingdom
October 2017Phillips New York United States
September 2015Christie's London United Kingdom
March 2015Sotheby's London United Kingdom
October 2011Christie's New York United States
April 2011Phillips New York United States

Meaning & Analysis

Kerze II is a standout example of Richter’s approach to painting and the image. Like Kerze, a work produced in the previous year, Kerze II Incorporates the candle motif into its composition. Unlike its predecessor, however, this work partially obscures Richter’s highly-detailed, photorealist depiction of the candle with a number of ‘squeegeed’ lines of black paint. This deconstructive - or perhaps destructive - act references Richter’s continued desire to bring about what he calls the ‘death of painting itself’. The origins of this radical bent find themselves in Richter’s early artistic training, which he received during the 1950s and early 60s at the Dresden Academy. Then under the aegis of East Germany’s ruling SED – or Socialist Unity Party – and within the Soviet sphere of influence, the art school was restrictive. Together with the Documenta II exhibition (1959), held in the West German city of Kassel and featuring works by Jackson Pollock and Pablo Picasso, its limitations pushed Richter to leave East Germany, in 1961, and to seek out methods of undermining all things ‘traditional’ in his own artistic practice.

Noting the relationship between the candle, his own work, and canonical art history, Richter once said: 'I was fascinated by these motifs, and that [fascination] is also nicely distanced. I felt protected because the motifs are so art-historically charged, and I no longer needed to say that I painted them for myself. The motifs were covered by this styled composition, out-of-focus quality, and perfection. So beautifully painted, they take away the fear.’

  • 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.

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