Adolf Hitler: Monster or Misunderstood?

Sadness in his eyes; he just wanted to paint.

 Are you surprised to see Hitler in an art blog? He was actually a very talented artist. (crazy, right?)

Adolf Hitler was born at an Inn in Austrai on April 20, 1889. He was the fourth of six children, all four of which died by five years old. His younger sister, Paula, and he lived to adulthood. His father was a strict, ruthless man who sometimes beat Adolf. His mother was a hardworking, kinder woman. Needless to say, he was much closer to his mother than to his father.

Baby Adolf

His father, Alois, wanted him to follow in his footsteps and work in the Austria customs, but Adolf pleaded to attend classical high school to become an artist. Despite his sons desires, Alois sent him to a technical school. He and his friend often attended operas. He spent four years there before leaving for Vienna with his dreams of becoming a painter.

When Adolf was only 13 years old, in 1908, his mother passed to breast cancer, which was a tragic blow to the adolescent boy.

White Orchids; Adolf Hitler

 While living in Vienna, he struggled every day for food. He lived as a vagabond, often created art for postcards and magazines, he even sold some to the general public, to afford to eat. He loved many media of art, including painting, sculpture, concerts, theater, and opera. Even with meager income, he only bought high quality paints, brushes, and canvases.

He was turned down by the Viennese Academy of Fine Arts twice for "unsatisfactory" skills, after which began to shape his hatred towards Jews, Marxists, and the cosmopolitan Habsburg monarchy. After this turning point in his life, he began dreaming of  a Greater Germany.

"For hours, I could stand in front of the Opera, for hours I could gaze at the parliament; 

the whole Ring Boulevard seemed to me like an enchantment out of the 

'Thousand and One nights.' "

-Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

The Munich Opera House

Hitler was a soldier in World War I and ranked as high as Lance Corporal. He also received the Iron Cross for bravery. He was badly gassed near the end of the war an spend three months recuperating. He was temporarily blinded and went into an impotent rage. Once healthy, he convinced himself that fate had chosen him to rescue the nation from the Versailles Treaty, from the Bolsheviks and Jews. In 1919, he entered the German Workers' party, who changed their name to National Socialist German Workers' Party soon after and was chairman by July of 1921.

Castle Battlements

Hitler was arrested and tried on February, 1924, after the failure of the Beer Hall Putsch. Although he was sentenced to five years, he was released after nine months. He dedicated his writings, titled Mein Kampf, to Rudolf Hess, his loyal follower and cell mate. This book became a structure for the Nazi Party to stand on. Using what he'd learned, he decided that a political approach would suit him better than one bullet-riddled. The Nazi Party began to inflate in popularity and due to the depression in Germany at the time, his persuasive speeches and promised of a Greater Germany were well-received.

Smoking Tank

By June of 1934, it was undisputed that Adolf Hitler was the dictator of the Third Reich, and with the death of President von Hindenburg, he controlled all the powers of the State. He quickly became the leader of the country and lead his people to prosperity. Those he considered NOT his people were not treated as well. He looked down and tried to eliminate the Jews, as well many others, including the physically and mentally handicapped. He felt they were impurities to the Aryans, the "Master Race."

Still Life With Bottle and Fruit

Hitler had a greatly shaping influence on art, music, and architecture under his rule. He declared most modern art "degenerate" and those artists suffered striking consequences. Many fled the country, while others were prohibited from teaching or painting. He allowed classical methods of art to be proclaimed. He oversaw two shows in Munich at the same time. One, Degenerate Art, the other, The Great German Art Exhibition. Degenerate Art contained artwork, un-cared for and degraded, by modern artists. While The Great German Art Exhibition contained artwork he allowed, those that portrayed Germany in a heroic sense. The latter gained less than half the attendees as the former.

Germania 

Hitler allowed painters and sculptors to produce nudes of males and females. Males must be depicted as strong, powerful, and heroic while females were sleek and clean with full breasts and a flat belly. These were often Nordic, but brunettes were apparent. Hitler continued to create his artwork throughout his reign and his life. He even gave the present world the first design for the Volkswagon Beetle, as well as other ideas. 

First design of the Volkswagon Beetle

In April of 1945, Hitler and a group of men, along with Eva had been hiding in a bomb-proof bunker, the Fuhrerbunker, as the war raged overhead. There were talks of surrender, and that is thought to be Hitler's last straw. Adolf Hitler committed suicide by shooting himself through the mouth. His wife of the previous day, Eva Braun took a cyanide capsule. Hitler had ordered both bodies to be burned. There are rumors that Hitler had not committed suicide, but had sneaked away to live in hiding. Hitler and a group of men, along with Eva had been hiding in a bomb-proof bunker, the Fuhrerbunker, as the war raged overhead. There were talks of surrender, and that is thought to be Hitler's last straw. 

Hitler and Blondi

Hitler also had a deep love for animals, especially his German Shepard, Blondi. He even ordered cyanide pills be given to Blondi and her puppies the same day of his suicide. 

A uniquely interesting character, Hitler also went slightly obsessed and paranoid towards his end. Many rumors are floating around, including his army of literate canines and time travel. But I will leave you with this thought: What if Hitler had been accepted into the art academy?

** I do NOT own any of the images **

Food, Sleep, Sex, and Revenge

“There are four basic human needs; food, sleep, sex and revenge.”

― Banksy

Banksy is one of the most famous, or infamous depending on your outlook, artists in Britain today. He is a hidden identity, although many rumors of who he really is have surfaced. He earned his fame after graffiti-ing, or tagging, Bristol, England in the 1990's. Some call him an artist, as I do, others consider him a vandal, but one thing everyone agrees on; he is controversial and makes people think.

Banksy is an anonymous graffiti activist in Britain and around the world. His website, features his artwork and some information. He also provides images for his fans to use to create merchendise for themselves, but he points out that it's not okay to sell anything. Born in Bristol in 1974, he started as a free-hand vandal when he was 14. He later switched to stencils because he claims he wasn't very good at free-hand and it was too slow.

Banksy first appeared in Bristol, England in the early 1990's as part of a larger underground scene with Inkie, 3D, and others. He eventually spread around the world and has been noted in London, Vienna, San Francisco, Barcelona, Detroit, Paris, and Israel. His work has sold for thousands of dollars at auctions, including Ruined Lansdcape for $385,000. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are among the many owners of Banksy works.

In 2006, an exhibition in Los Angeles was centered around an 8,000 pound elephant covered in red paint and fleur-de-lis patterns. Needless to say, animals rights activists were not so happy and they were ordered to wash the elephant. Flyers were handed out in the crowd and read something to mean "There's an elephant in the room...20 billion people live below the poverty line."

Much of his artwork has a message behind it and inspires many to think about their government and social stance. It is also rather hard to explain at times, and is much easier understood just by looking at the work. Banksy is an activist and self titled "art terrorist" and therefore creates more of an impact to society. If people don't know who he is, they look more into the artwork for meaning. Humans have a need for knowledge, and this causes people to remember his artwork since they have no real identity to pair with it.

“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”

― Banksy

His anonymity is part of who he is, and he runs his own narrative always keeping his identity hidden. He conducts interviews through both, but when he meets with someone face to face, he wears a creative paper bag to hide his identity. He uses the organization, Pest Control, to authenticate real Banksy work from imposters. Even the few that do know who he his will deny it, time after time, to keep the secret.

Here is a website with a series of GIFs created from Banksy work, including the following.






Banksy has also made a film in 2010, called Exit Through the Gift Shop. It is a documentary (Banksy style) about the creation and making of street art. The New York Times commented that is strongly comparable to his best work. The film was even on a list for on Oscar in the documentary category in 2010.

Banksy seems to have a heart for animals. They often stand in for humans, especially the rats. They appear in many of Banksy's pieces seeming to be fighting a war against an unseen enemy.

Banksy does not have a Twitter or Facebook account.

The entity that is Banksy is not just an anonymous artist, but is a force towards change. 

“People who get up early in the morning cause war, death and famine.”

― Banksy, Banging Your Head Against a Brick Wall   

For more images click here. This is a site with over 100 Banksy originals.

*I do NOT own any of the above images*