Untitled - no. 817B 

Hans Richter, a German-born American painter, made this untitled watercolor, number 817B, sometime during his long career. The painting contains abstract forms in blue, black, and red, overlaid on a ground of gray and white washes. Richter had been associated with the Dada movement in Europe in the 1910s. Dada artists were reacting to the trauma and irrationality of World War One by challenging the institutions of art and culture. With its loose, gestural forms, this work shows how Richter continued to explore the possibilities of chance and spontaneity long after the collapse of the Dada movement. This work raises questions for the art historian about the relationship between the artist's intentions and the viewer's interpretation. To understand the painting fully, we would need to do further research into Richter's life and work, and the broader context of abstract art in the 20th century. We can learn about the artist's intentions through his letters and essays, but ultimately, the meaning of the work is up to each individual to decide.