It is very consciously that Werner Ritter calls his exhibition “aggiornamento” (adapting to nowadays views – seeing traditional things in a new light). Werner Ritter has made it his aim to open masters of the past to people of today and the people of today to masterly art of the past. He wants to invite the viewer to open up with him and his artistic eye to the timeless messages of important painters. A particular challenge for Werner Ritter was to be inspired by the works of great masters to create new access, with contemporary techniques and modern elements of style to timeless messages of faith of their pictures. The first occasion was the Bavarian national exhibition “The Mystery of Grünewald” 2002/2003 in the cathedral chapter of Aschaffenburg, nearby Frankfurt with more than 20,000 visitors. Further national and international exhibitions followed – including Rome – and accompanying exhibition “Cranach in Exile” 2007 in Aschaffenburg. “Aggiornamento” is Ritter’s second biggest project of approximation to artistic messages of old masters. Already the interpretation of works of Mathis Grünewald, motivated by the Aschaffenburg exhibition “The Mystery of Grünewald” successfully won people to see masterpieces not only by their artistic aspects, but to engage themselves with the unchanging religious contents, with the messages of faith. This is also the very personal concern of Werner Ritter, as an artist and exhibitor to constantly endeavour to put his technical and creative talents to the service of Christian proclamation.

The works of Werner Ritter – in large format and on canvas - obtain their effect from intense colours and the carving out of essential contents of their models. The contemplator is invited to enter into a dialogue with the motifs. The works of Werner Ritter show the further development of traditional reproduction technology and image processing in the age of the computer. They demonstrate that sensuality and articulation have not disappeared in the age of the computer. Werner Ritter, born 1952 nearby Frankfurt, lives and works as an artist and managing director of crossmedia publishing agency in the same region since 1981. By the means of sober-modern technology of today the professional colour lithographer knows to touch people at heart.