Gerhard Richter

There are images that have become etched in the collective memory – Gerhard Richter's "Betty" undoubtedly belongs to this category. The 1988 painting, depicting his daughter turning away from the viewer, is now considered the "Mona Lisa" of contemporary art. It is a symbol of intimacy and simultaneous distance, of the past and the unknown. What we offer here, however, is far more than a mere reproduction of this masterpiece. It is a rare historical document from a pivotal moment in Richter's career: his first major retrospective in Great Britain.

This print was produced in 1991 to coincide with the exhibition at the Tate Gallery in London, published by the legendary Anthony d'Offay Gallery. The history of this edition is fascinating and makes it a true trophy for connoisseurs: the total print run was 500 copies. But beware – approximately 200 of these were actually plastered over, meaning they were pasted up and thus destroyed. The remaining 300 were sold in the museum shop. The truly special feature of this particular print, however, lies in the small but crucial detail in the lower right corner: the handwritten signature.

Only about 50 of these posters were personally signed by Gerhard Richter on the evening of the exhibition's opening. This transforms the offset print from an exhibition poster into an autographed collector's item of museum value. Richter, the master of blur, plays with perception here as well: The photorealistic print on smooth wove paper perfectly captures the delicate balance between photography and painting for which Richter is world-renowned.

The market for this particular print has developed extremely dynamically in recent years. While unsigned posters often remain purely decorative items, these few signed copies regularly fetch high five-figure sums at auction houses such as Ketterer or Neumeister. This is due to the discrepancy between the global renown of the motif and the extreme scarcity of signed pieces. This print measures approximately 84 x 59.5 cm (sheet size), is in excellent condition, and comes from a private collection in Munich, having previously been acquired directly from the Tate Gallery Shop. Here you are acquiring not just a decorative highlight, but a piece of art history with documented rarity and considerable potential for appreciation.