A Study on 〈The Cologne Cathedral Window〉 by Gerhard Richter in the Cologne Cathedral

Gerhard Richter's 'The Cologne Cathedral Window' (2007), installed as the cathedral's new south transept stained glass, introduces unprecedented abstract and geometric motifs that challenge traditional stained-glass conventions. The work employs computer-generated randomness to produce an infinite array of colorful panels, embodying chaos and infinity through algorithmic order. This study reveals how Richter's use of chance aligns with sublime aesthetics and experience, linking German Romanticism and modernist abstraction while subverting Gothic cathedral symbolism. By analyzing the interplay between randomness and structured design, the research elucidates Richter's artistic process as a means to evoke sublime contemplation within a historic religious context.

Kim, H.-J. (2021). A Study on 〈The Cologne Cathedral Window〉 by Gerhard Richter in the Cologne Cathedral. The Journal of Art and Culture Studies, 21, 153–180. https://doi.org/10.18707/jacs.2021.12.21.153