Adolf Hitler, who harbored artistic ambitions but lacked creativity, viewed modern art movements such as Expressionism as decadent and a threat to the German spirit. His disdain for artistic freedom was articulated in a speech where he condemned "dilettantes and art-forgers . . . cultural barbarians and art-stutterers" and vowed they would be "picked up and liquidated."
This ideological opposition culminated in the 1937 "Degenerate Art" exhibition in Munich. Organized in nine narrow galleries within the Hofgarten arcade, the exhibition displayed approximately 600 works that had been confiscated from prominent German galleries and private collections. These artworks, including paintings and sculptures by major artists, were presented as the creations of the insane, criminal, Jewish, Bolshevik, or generally un-German elements.
Art historian John-Paul Stonard, in his book "The Worst Exhibition in the World," examines the ideology driving this exhibition, which he characterizes as fueled by envy, hatred, and revenge. The Nazi regime targeted artists like Franz Marc, who was killed in World War I, and sought to suppress the artistic revolution that had begun in France and spread throughout pre-Nazi Germany. This revolution, characterized by radical compositions and bold colors, challenged the Nazi ideology of purity and control.
Stonard explains the fundamental aim of Nazi art policy was to cultivate a viewer who could distinguish between the "heroic body of Nazi art" and the "deformed, degenerate body of the moderns." Despite the regime's efforts, the "Degenerate Art" exhibition became a major draw. While a separate exhibition showcased approved German art, the much-hyped display of reviled works attracted significant public attention, with crowds of citizens lining up to view the subversive pieces.
Entartete Kunst, or "Degenerate Art," ultimately became the most visited exhibition of modern art, drawing over three million visitors. Although accompanied by mocking captions intended to incite contempt, the exhibition paradoxically increased the public awareness of the targeted artists. Stonard's book offers an imaginative tour through the crowded galleries, depicting an atmosphere of "hate," and suggests that despite the regime's attempts to destroy artistic expression, the power of great art to inspire remained.
The book, "The Worst Exhibition in the World" by John-Paul Stonard, is available from the Mail Bookshop.