Review of Gerhard Richter: The Overpainted Photographs – A Comprehensive Catalogue (6 volumes, HENI Publishing, London)
4. April 2025Gerhard Richter: The Overpainted Photographs – A Comprehensive Catalogue, published by HENI Publishing in London, is an ambitious and visually stunning project that meticulously documents Richter’s overpainted photographs. This six-volume set, housed in an elegant slipcase, features over 1,900 color illustrations across a total of 2,464 pages, offering a comprehensive insight into a practice that began in the mid-1980s and evolved over decades. Edited by Joe Hage and Hans Ulrich Obrist, the catalogue showcases Richter’s unique fusion of photography and painting—small, often personal snapshots transformed through applications of oil paint or varnish, splashes, and squeegee strokes. Art historian Christine Eissengarthen has done an outstanding job compiling the information for this catalogue, creating a solid foundation for scholarly engagement with Richter’s work. It is a significant contribution to Richter studies, shedding light on a lesser-known yet important facet of his oeuvre.
The intellectual foundation of the catalogue is robust, particularly in the first volume, which includes essays by luminaries such as Hans Ulrich Obrist, Robert Storr, Siri Hustvedt, and the late Achim Borchardt-Hume, as well as Christine Mehring and Uwe M. Schneede. These texts explore the conceptual depth of the works—memory, representation, and the interplay of figuration and abstraction—offering compelling interpretive approaches to Richter’s process. The subsequent four volumes arrange the works chronologically from 1987 to 2018, while the sixth volume provides key information about the pieces featured in volumes 2 through 5, making it the central resource of this catalogue. Indeed, the sixth volume alone would have sufficed, as it consolidates the essential details about Richter’s overpainted photographs. Volumes 1 through 5, while a nice addition, feel almost superfluous in comparison—the essays in the first volume and the chronological presentation in volumes 2 through 5 provide extra perspectives, but the core information in volume 6 renders these supplements dispensable.
Visually, the reproductions are impressive, capturing the tactile allure of Richter’s interventions—vibrant streaks of colour and subtle textures set against the glossy photographic background.
The design is elegantly executed. However, this elegance comes at a cost. The slipcase, though luxurious, is unfortunately cumbersome; the volumes are difficult to remove due to their tight fit, which could damage the books over time and significantly frustrate the user. This flaw detracts from the otherwise high-quality experience, especially given the price of £600 / EUR 720 / $850, which already positions it as a collector’s item rather than an easily accessible reference work.
A more serious criticism is the absence of detailed close-up images. Given the complexity of Richter’s overpaintings—where the interplay of paint and photography often hinges on minute textures or brushstrokes—the lack of close-ups feels like a missed opportunity. Readers are left with full views that, while beautiful, do not fully convey the material nuances that define these works. This limitation diminishes the catalogue’s ability to serve as a truly immersive study tool, particularly for those interested in Richter’s technical mastery.
Despite these critiques, the catalogue remains a groundbreaking publication. It testifies to Richter’s boundary-crossing creativity, blending the personal with the abstract and challenging conventional image-making. The scholarly essays and high-quality illustrations make it an indispensable resource for enthusiasts and academics alike. While design flaws and the absence of detailed images limit its practicality, The Overpainted Photographs offers a powerful tribute to one of the most significant artists of contemporary art.
