Join The Collection to save, track, and explore works like this.

Gerhard Richter — Davos S.
Gerhard Richter

Davos S.

1981

This photograph based painting captures a snow covered mountainous landscape shrouded in heavy mist and fog. A diffuse light source, possibly the sun, glows softly through the dense atmospheric haze, creating an ethereal, almost monochromatic composition dominated by muted greens and grays. The rocky terrain in the foreground, partially visible beneath snow, anchors the composition while the obscured mountain ridge disappears into the murky background. Richter employs his characteristic photo painting technique, translating a photographic source into oil on canvas with a soft, blurred quality that emphasizes atmospheric conditions over topographical clarity. The work exemplifies his investigation of perception and representation, where landscape becomes an exploration of light, obscuration, and the limits of visual knowledge.

Medium
Oil on canvas
Overall

Notes

David Zwirner, 'Landschaften', May 7 – July 10, 2026, 537 West 20th Street, New York. Curated survey of Gerhard Richter's landscape painting from 1965 to 2005.

For Sale

Start the Discussion

Request access to join the discussion

About this work

Gerhard Richter, Davos S., 1981

This photograph based painting captures a snow covered mountainous landscape shrouded in heavy mist and fog. A diffuse light source, possibly the sun, glows softly through the dense atmospheric haze, creating an ethereal, almost monochromatic composition dominated by muted greens and grays. The rocky terrain in the foreground, partially visible beneath snow, anchors the composition while the obscured mountain ridge disappears into the murky background. Richter employs his characteristic photo painting technique, translating a photographic source into oil on canvas with a soft, blurred quality that emphasizes atmospheric conditions over topographical clarity. The work exemplifies his investigation of perception and representation, where landscape becomes an exploration of light, obscuration, and the limits of visual knowledge.

Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 70.2 x 100.3 cm
Year
1981
Seen at
David Zwirner Gallery, Manhattan, United States

Related themes

Landscape Painting, Alpine Scenery, Photo-Realism, Light and Obscurity, Mountain Mist, Tonal Ambiguity, Modern Realism, Conceptual Landscape, 1980s Photography, German Contemporary Art, Monochromatic Palette, Atmospheric Abstraction, Snow Covered Peak, Pictorial Perception, Blurred Abstraction, Oil on Canvas

More works by Gerhard Richter

Collected by

Art Institute of Chicago, Sebastián Naranjo, Kyle Stewart, Alex Capecelatro, Brittany Laques