Selbstbildnis (Übermaltes Plakat einer Arnulf-Rainer-Ausstellung). 1979.
Mixed media. White paint and black felt tip pen on poster paper.
84 x 59.5 cm (33 x 23.4 in).
Preliminary work for the poster of Dieter Roth's traveling exhibition of graphic art and books, Stuttgart 1979. In the end, a different poster was used, so the preliminary work offered here is a unique piece. [AR].

Dieter Roth's self-portraits are legendary and as diverse as the artist himself.
He painted his own face over the poster for an Arnulf Rainer exhibition – a humorous self-portrait with a typically cheeky reference to Arnulf Rainer's basic artistic principle of overpainting.
• Other self-portraits can be found in major museum collections, including the Tate in London, the Städel Museum in Frankfurt am Main and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

The authenticity of the present work has been confirmed by Dr. Dirk Dobke, Dieter Roth Foundation, Hamburg, whom we would like to thank for his expert advice.

PROVENANCE: Galerie und Verlag St. Gertrude, Hamburg.
Corporate Collection Ahlers AG, Herford (acquired from the above in 2009).

EXHIBITION: Gesicht und Maske - Rollenspiele in der Porträtkunst, Foundation Ahlers Pro Arte, Herford, September 16 - December 10, 2017, cat. no. 77, p. 73 (illu.) and p. 77, Hagemeyer and Pierre Cardin, Minden, October 19 - November 8, 2018 (no cat.).

Good overall impression. All in all slightly irregularly discolored and with brownish spots. Paper slightly wavy and with small handling marks and creases. Corners with small holes, presumablly from a former mounting.