Аукцион Bidspirit | Invitation Broadside to the Antisemitic

Invitation Broadside to the Antisemitic ”Degenerate Art” (Entartete Kunst) Exhibition. Munich, 1937 - Advertising broadside inviting the public to visit the ”Degenerate Art” (Entartete Kunst) exhibition, organized and directed by the Reich Ministry of Propaganda, in which 650 works by approximately one hundred renowned artists, confiscated from museums and galleries throughout Germany, were displayed, including works by Chagall, Munch, Matisse, and Kandinsky, with the deliberate purpose of ridiculing them before the public. [Munich, 1937]. Rare. The broadside employs abusive, inflammatory language saturated with medical and pseudo-scientific terminology to denounce modernist artists. The bold headlines across the top proclaim: ”Tortured Canvas – Spiritual Decay – Morbid Fantasists – Mentally Ill Incompetents” (Gequälte Leinwand – Seelische Verwesung – Krankhafte Phantasten – Geisteskranke Nichtskönner). At the center appears explicit antisemitic incitement coupled with economic manipulation. The text claims that these works ”received awards from Jewish cliques and were praised by literary figures, ” and asserts that they were products of an ”art” for which unscrupulous state and municipal institutions squandered millions of German taxpayers' marks, while genuine German artists starved. The passage concludes with the contemptuous declaration: ”Like that 'state' [the Weimar Republic], so too was its 'art.'” This is followed by a direct appeal to the public—”See it for yourselves! Judge for yourselves!” (Seht Euch das an! Urteilt selbst!)—and the official invitation: ”Visit the 'Degenerate Art' Exhibition” (Besuchet die Ausstellung „Entartete Kunst“). At the bottom of the broadside, the venue is given as the Hofgarten Arcades, Galeriestraße 4 (Hofgarten-Arkaden, Galeriestraße 4), together with the notice that admission is free (Eintritt frei), but entry is prohibited to young people (Für Jugendliche verboten). The antisemitic ”Degenerate Art” (Entartete Kunst) exhibition, organized and directed by the Reich Ministry of Propaganda, opened in Munich in July 1937. It displayed approximately 650 works by around one hundred renowned artists that had been confiscated from museums and galleries throughout Germany, including works by Chagall, Munch, Matisse, and Kandinsky, with the deliberate purpose of exposing them to public ridicule. At the same time, approximately 20,000 works of art held in Germany's public museums were sold or destroyed. The works were displayed in a deliberately chaotic and overcrowded manner, accompanied by mocking captions intended to discredit modern art. The exhibition was supported by propaganda materials, including booklets, postcards, and posters, which reinforced its antisemitic message as part of the Nazi propaganda campaign. Admission was free, and more than two million people visited the exhibition during its tour. Culturally, the exhibition represented the culmination of the Nazi regime's effort to portray itself as the embodiment of ”enlightenment” and ”progress” in contrast to the alleged Jewish ”degeneracy” that it claimed threatened to destroy civilization, including the world of art. During this campaign, avant-garde Jewish and German artists were officially branded enemies of the state and threats to German culture. Many fled into exile, while others remained in Germany but were prohibited from teaching at universities. The Gestapo carried out unannounced inspections of their homes to ensure that they were no longer producing art. Jewish artists who did not escape were ultimately deported to the extermination camps. 20×13 cm. Very good condition.