The Art Newspaper has a good overview of Sotheby’s Richter abstract painting that will lead their Contemporary sale on February 10:

Abstraktes Bild is being sold by the Iranian collectors Eskandar and Fatima Maleki, who intend to put the money raised by the sale into other art-related projects. The Malekis bought the painting in 1996 from Marian Goodman and Anthony d’Offay—Richter’s dealers at the time (Goodman still represents the German painter).

Richter is said to have been so taken with the work that it remained in his private collection until 1996 when it was unveiled at an exhibition of the artist’s personal paintings at the Carré d’Art in Nimes. That year it was also exhibited at the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Munchmuseet in Oslo, and has not been shown publicly since.

“The years 1989 and 1990 are the most sought-after in Richter’s works,” says Isabelle Paagman, Sotheby’s senior specialist, contemporary art. “During this time he really embraces the squeegee technique in his abstract paintings. More than half of Richter’s works from that period are in museums.”

Gerhard Richter painting being auctioned by Malekis could topple record (The Art Newspaper)