Farbschlieren Colour Streaks

Gerhard Richter’s 1968 Experiment in Controlled Chaos

Few works encapsulate Gerhard Richter’s early exploration of abstraction as vividly as Farbschlieren Colour Streaks. Created in 1968, this painting emerged during a pivotal period when Richter was systematically dismantling the boundaries between photography and painting. The title itself—Farbschlieren, German for “colour streaks”—hints at the work’s fluid, almost liquid interplay of hues. Unlike the meticulously rendered photo-paintings for which he first gained recognition, this piece abandons figuration entirely, instead immersing the viewer in a field of vibrant, horizontal bands that seem to dissolve into one another.

The painting’s composition reflects Richter’s engagement with the Minimalist and Color Field movements then dominating the New York art scene, yet it retains a distinct European sensibility. Where American artists like Barnett Newman or Mark Rothko pursued monumental, meditative fields of color, Richter’s streaks introduce a dynamic instability. The edges of each band are deliberately uneven, suggesting movement rather than stasis. This tension between precision and spontaneity became a hallmark of his abstract works, distinguishing them from the rigid geometries of his American contemporaries.

Richter’s Abstract Turn: Breaking with Photo-Realism

By 1968, Gerhard Richter had already established himself as a provocateur in the West German art scene. His early Photo Paintings, which meticulously replicated black-and-white photographs in oil, had challenged notions of mechanical reproduction and artistic originality. Yet as the decade progressed, Richter grew increasingly interested in the physical properties of paint itself. Farbschlieren Colour Streaks belongs to a series of abstract works he began that year, marking a deliberate shift away from representational imagery. This period, often referred to as his “abstract phase,” saw Richter experimenting with tools like squeegees and palette knives to manipulate paint in ways that emphasized process over preconceived composition.

The work’s creation coincided with Richter’s move from Düsseldorf to a more isolated studio in the countryside, a change that allowed him to focus on material experimentation without the distractions of the urban art world. Unlike the systematic grids of his later abstract works, Farbschlieren retains a looseness that reflects this transitional moment. The horizontal orientation of the streaks may recall landscape traditions, yet their lack of depth or perspective denies any figurative reading. As the Tate Modern has noted in retrospectives of Richter’s career, these early abstractions laid the groundwork for his later, more structured explorations of color and surface.

Richter’s streaks are neither purely accidental nor entirely controlled—they occupy a liminal space where the artist’s hand and the paint’s own viscosity negotiate the final image.

The Making of Farbschlieren Colour Streaks

Layering and Drag

Richter achieved the work’s signature effect by applying multiple layers of oil paint to the canvas, then dragging a broad tool—likely a squeegee or custom-made blade—across the surface while the paint was still wet. This technique allowed him to blend colors at their edges, creating soft transitions between hues. The directionality of the streaks suggests a single, continuous motion, though the varying opacity of the bands indicates that Richter revisited certain areas to intensify or mute specific tones.

Color as Light

The palette of Farbschlieren is deceptively simple, relying on primary and secondary colors that interact optically rather than symbolically. Richter avoided the heavy impasto of Expressionism, instead using thin, translucent layers that allow underlying tones to influence the final appearance. The result is a surface that appears to shift under different lighting conditions, much like the color studies of Josef Albers. This sensitivity to perception aligns with Richter’s broader interest in how images—whether photographic or painted—are constructed and interpreted.

Displaying Richter’s Abstraction in Modern Spaces

The vibrant horizontal bands of Farbschlieren Colour Streaks make it an ideal focal point for contemporary interiors. At 30×40 cm (12×16"), this print commands attention without overwhelming a wall. Its bold yet balanced palette pairs particularly well with neutral backdrops—think matte white, warm gray, or soft beige walls—that allow the colors to resonate. For a more dynamic effect, consider hanging the work opposite a large window; the natural light will accentuate the subtle variations in each streak. In minimalist spaces, the print’s linear composition complements clean-lined furniture, while in eclectic settings, it can serve as a counterpoint to organic textures like woven textiles or raw wood.

More Works by Gerhard Richter

Explore Richter’s diverse approaches to abstraction and photo-realism in this curated selection of framed prints.

Gerhard Richter

Townscape Tr

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Gerhard Richter

Wallace Bournes

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Gerhard Richter

Townscape M6

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Gerhard Richter

Townscape 4

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