Original VERY RARE Historically Important German NSDAP (NAZI PARTY) Jewish Art ‘DEGENERATE ART’ FROM THE NAZI ‘ENTARTET KUNST’ EXHIBITION Certified

Original VERY RARE Historically Important German NSDAP (NAZI PARTY) Jewish Art ‘DEGENERATE ART’ FROM THE NAZI ‘ENTARTET KUNST’ EXHIBITION Certified. On July 18, 1937, the festive opening of the first Great German Art Exhibition (GDK) took place in the House of German Art in Munich. Adolf Hitler intended the GDK to play a central role in the art world of the Third Reich. It was intended to set binding standards for artists and become the most important stage for the official art of National Socialism. In the first exhibition (July 18 to October 31, 1937) there were 884 works by 556 artists. The honorary title ‘Temple of German Art’ given to the House of German Art at its opening, also helped to elevate the works of art on display. One day after that grand opening, the ‘Entartete Kunst’ (‘Degenerate Art’) exhibition also opened in Munich only a few blocks away in a cramped, second floor space which had formerly housed an architectural museum. Its aim was to denounce modern art, its artists, and even those institutions displaying these works. On 30 June 1937, Joseph Goebbels, the Reich Minister for Propaganda and Enlightenment, authorized the Director of the Reich Chamber of Culture, Adolf Ziegler, to select and confiscate paintings and sculptures from public collections for a major exhibition on this ‘degenerate art’. Over the course of a mere ten days, the commission combed through 32 collections in 23 cities to select works of art which were seen to threaten the new order the Nazis sought to cultivate. These artworks were shipped to Munich. Offered here is what, by all accounts, must be such an example of ‘degenerate’ art, and almost certainly displayed at the ‘Entartete Kunst’ exhibition in Munich. This 19 in. x 29 in. impressionist heavy oil on board depicts a well-dressed man with glasses in a half-length pose. It is signed ‘MZCR’ (or similar) at the bottom, the artist unidentified by us. Undoubtedly, many viewers in Nazi Germany at the time would have immediately labeled this a depiction of a Jewish man. The painting is set into a period gilt wood frame. What makes this piece of art most important is a simple 8.25 in. x 1.25 in. partly-printed label on the verso of the frame. It is imprinted: ‘Grosse Deutsche Kunstausstellung 1937 im Haus der Deutschen Kunst au Munchen’, or ‘Great German Art Exhibition in the House of German Art in Munich’. There also appears several handwritten inventory numbers on the same label. The reverse of the painting itself bears a circular white label with a red indelible pencil ‘X’. Identical labels appear on other pieces which were displayed at the Grosse Deutsche Kunstausstellung 1937. This white label in particular, indicated the disposition of this painting; paintings destined for Hitler’s collection had red disk labels applied, Goebbels’ collection, green disk labels, etc. Clearly, considering its style and subject, this painting would never have been displayed under any circumstances at the Grosse Deutsche Kunstausstellung. Goebbels and Ziegler confiscated over 16,000 pieces of art they labeled as ‘degenerate’, and it would have been utterly impossible to store this massive quantity at the site of the ‘Entartete Kunst’ exhibition. We speculate that the Haus der Deutschen Kunst, as a matter of practicality and location, served as a temporary storage and sorting location for at least some of this art, thus explaining the label on this piece. Not coincidentally, Ziegler coordinated both art exhibitions. This piece could be one of only a precious tiny few pieces of ‘degenerate art’ not sold off or destroyed after the exhibition. A most important piece further illustrating Nazi intolerance on yet another level.  Gettysburg Museum Certified (COA) provided. 100% Guaranteed to be authentic. Sold for historic purposes only. See our other pieces on our web site. Also note when browsing our web site there are several pages of items, at the bottom of the list look for other page numbers. EXCELLENT UNTOUCHED OUTSTANDING PIECE OF HISTORY THAT NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED. Do not miss this!