Previously hidden Richter mural partially unveiled in Dresden
A hidden work by German artist Gerhard Richter has been partially unveiled in Dresden for the first time in over 40 years.
The uncovering of a section of the mural "Lebensfreude" ("Joy of Life") at the German Hygiene Museum in Dresden has "come to a wonderful conclusion," museum director Iris Edenheiser said in a statement on Monday.
The approximately 63-square-metre mural was created by Richter in 1956 in a stairwell foyer of the museum as his diploma project at the end of his studies.
The artist then famously defected from East Germany to the West in 1961.
The mural, depicting various groups of figures in everyday and leisure scenes, was painted over in 1979 with the approval of Communist authorities as it was deemed that "this 'student work' had no artistic significance."
After reunification, the museum made a first attempt to uncover the mural in 1994 but Richter did not agree.
In 2022, further talks were held and it was decided along with the artist to only partially uncover a central section of the mural.
The 93-year-old Richter, who was born in Dresden, now resides in Cologne.
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