German Painting after World War II

Drawn from the collections of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, and the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, this exhibition highlights the work of four German painters who came to the attention of an international public during the last third of the 20th century: Georg Baselitz, Anselm Kiefer, Sigmar Polke, and Gerhard Richter.

Although diverse in practice and subject, the works presented in German Painting after World War ii share an interest in subverting the realism of the picture plane, while maintaining references to the cultural heritage of the traditions of German painting. The works of these artists build upon the post-World War ii practice of Joseph Beuys-exploring the profound despair and struggle faced by the nation, while encouraging a renewal of spirit. On view is Gerhard Richter's Seascape (Seestück, 1998), a work newly acquired by the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao that fuses painting and photography, thereby questioning the ability of each medium to achieve pictorial illusion.