Was Hitler a Painter?
Background: Hitler often claimed to be something of a frustrated artist, and art was certainly one of his major interests throughout his life. He probably sold several thousand paintings and postcards during his stay in Vienna, some of which turn up even today. Hitler himself made no great claims to greatness as a painter (architecture was something else….). There was a thriving market for his paintings during the Third Reich — and even today, there are eager collectors. The best book on the matter is Frederic Spotts’ Hitler and the Power of Aesthetics, which takes Hitler’s artistic side seriously. Spotts comments: “He had a modicum of talent —— at least in sketching buildings —— but what technique he learned he picked up on his own. Like most amateurs, he began by painting simple landscapes. With neither innate originality nor professional training, he went on to imitate the watercolours and prints of the south German school and the postcard scenes —— everyday urban views —— that we
