Marcus Chen
Adolf Hitler's aspirations to become a professional artist are well-documented. He moved to Vienna, Austria, in 1908, and was twice rejected by the Academy of Fine Arts. Despite this setback, he continued to paint and even made a living as a professional artist from 1908 to 1913. Hitler's early works were mostly images of buildings and landmarks in Vienna, copied from postcards. He sold these paintings to tourists and shop owners. However, his failure to succeed as a painter reportedly led him into politics, and his subsequent rise as the leader of the Nazi regime has sparked interest in whether his paintings foreshadowed the atrocities to come.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of paintings completed | Upwards of 300 |
| Artistic style | "Moderately ambitious amateur" |
| Artistic ability | Lacking in fundamentals of art, including composition and point perspective |
| Subjects of paintings | Landscapes, flower arrangements, buildings, self-portraits |
| Buyers of paintings | Majority were Jewish |
| Forgeries | Many forgeries exist |
| Value | Paintings sold for $450,000 in 2015 |
| Auction controversy | Yes |
| Nazi symbols in paintings | No |
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What You'll Learn
Hitler's early life and dreams of becoming a painter
Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until his suicide in 1945, was a painter in his youth. He dreamed of becoming a professional artist from a young age. In fact, in his autobiography, Mein Kampf (My Struggle), Hitler wrote about how he wanted to pursue art professionally but was unable to do so due to failing the entrance exam of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna twice, in 1907 and 1908.
In 1908, after his mother's death, the 18-year-old Hitler moved to Vienna, leaving behind his father's wishes for him to become a civil servant. In Vienna, he pursued his dream of becoming an artist, spending his days painting and studying books. He primarily worked with watercolours and oil paints, creating small paintings of buildings and landmarks in Vienna, which he copied from postcards. He sold these paintings to tourists and frame-sellers, making a meagre living as a professional artist from 1908 to 1913.
Hitler's preferred subject was architecture, which he represented using a mix of conventional styles, including Greco-Roman classicism, Italian Renaissance, and Neoclassicism. He admired the technical prowess and comprehensible symbolism of these artistic movements. However, his works were often criticised for lacking originality and inspiration, with some describing them as "devoid of rhythm, colour, feeling, or spiritual imagination."
Despite his lack of formal training, Hitler produced a significant number of paintings throughout his life, with estimates ranging from 2000 to 3000 works. Many of his paintings were recovered after World War II and sold at auctions, while others were seized by the United States Army and remain in their possession.
It is worth noting that Hitler's early life as an aspiring artist in Vienna played a significant role in shaping his worldview and political ideology. During this time, he became interested in politics and was influenced by the antisemitic rhetoric of Karl Lueger, the city's mayor. Additionally, his experiences with rejection and humiliation in the art world may have contributed to his rise to power and the development of his extreme ideologies.
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Hitler's failure to get into art school
Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945, was a painter in his youth. He dreamed of becoming a professional artist, but his aspirations were shattered when he failed to gain admission to the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Hitler was rejected by the institute twice, in 1907 and 1908. This failure had a significant impact on his life and may have contributed to his future actions.
Hitler's first examination consisted of drawing two assigned iconic or Biblical scenes in two sessions of three hours each, which he managed to pass. The second part required him to submit a portfolio of his previous work for evaluation. It was during this stage that Hitler's pursuit of an artistic career hit a roadblock. The examiners noted that his works contained "too few heads," indicating a lack of focus on human subjects and a preference for buildings and landscapes.
One of the professors at the academy, Christian Griepenkerl, provided insight into Hitler's artwork. He stated, "Sample drawing unsatisfactory. Too few heads," suggesting that Hitler's work lacked an emphasis on human figures. Griepenkerl's own artistic style tended towards portraiture and mythology, which contrasted with Hitler's inclination towards architecture and landscapes. The professor's recommendation that Hitler apply to an architectural school may have been a genuine suggestion based on his perceived talents, but it could also be interpreted as an insult.
Hitler's early paintings have been described as "stilted," "dated," and "lacking in rhythm, colour, feeling, and spiritual imagination." His work has been criticised for its lack of originality and inspiration, with art critics noting that he often copied from other artists and popular styles of the time. Despite his lack of commercial and critical success, Hitler continued to paint even while serving in World War I, carrying paper and canvas with him to the frontlines.
In conclusion, Hitler's failure to get into art school was a pivotal moment in his life, shaping his future path and contributing to his eventual rise in politics. His artistic endeavours and subsequent rejection from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna influenced his outlook and may have played a role in the development of his extreme ideologies. Hitler even attempted to retrieve his early works later in his career, possibly to control public knowledge about his underachievement.
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Hitler's amateur painting style
Hitler's early paintings were created during his time in Vienna, where he aspired to attend the Academy of Fine Arts but was rejected twice, in 1907 and 1908. He then moved to Munich in 1913, selling scenes of the city's landmarks. He continued to paint while serving in World War I, carrying paper and canvas with him to the front.
Hitler's motivation for painting has been debated, with some arguing that he used artistic means, such as hypnotic oratory and elegant design, to gain and wield power. He considered himself a great artist, even until his death, and once stated: "I am an artist and not a politician. Once the Polish question is settled, I want to end my life as an artist."
The market for Hitler's art has grown in recent years, with his paintings, drawings and watercolours generating controversy and fetching high prices at auctions. However, many of the works attributed to Hitler are likely forgeries, and there are few professional examiners willing to study them due to their lack of artistic value.
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The content and subjects of Hitler's paintings
Hitler's early paintings were mostly images of buildings and other landmarks in Vienna that he copied from postcards. He sold these paintings to tourists and frame-sellers, and even to a Jewish store owner, Samuel Morgenstern, who was one of the most loyal buyers of Hitler's paintings in Vienna. Hitler also painted while serving in World War I, carrying a pencil and paper with him everywhere he went. The themes of his wartime paintings included farmers' houses, the dressing station, and other landscapes.
Hitler's style has been described as that of a "moderately ambitious amateur," lacking originality and inspiration. His works have been criticised for their technical shortcomings, such as his struggle with point perspective and composition. His paintings often come off as rushed or stressed, and his choice of subjects has been questioned. One critic noted that the noticeably different way he drew human beings showed a "profound disinterest in people."
Hitler's taste in painting was described as "philistine," and he favoured the works of Eduard von Grützner, a genre painter of jolly, drunken Bavarian monks. Hitler's own early efforts were stilted and lacked professional training. He embraced cleanly abstracted and geometric styles, which later informed his design work, notably the Nazi flag.
Hitler considered himself a great artist and, in his autobiography, 'Mein Kampf', he wrote about his dream of becoming a professional artist and how his rejection from art school crushed his dreams. He continued to consider himself an artist even as he rose to power, and in a conversation with the British ambassador Nevile Henderson one month before the outbreak of World War II, he said, "I am an artist and not a politician. Once the Polish question is settled, I want to end my life as an artist."
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The market for Hitler's art
Adolf Hitler, the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until his death in 1945, was a painter in his youth. He studied art in Vienna in his early years and worked as a professional artist from 1908 to 1913, producing hundreds of works, although he had little commercial or critical success. Hitler himself considered architecture his true calling, and his preferred subject in art was architecture, which he represented using "an amalgam of conventional styles".
Hitler's early works were tracked down and purchased by Peter Jahn, who was appointed by Hitler to locate and buy his paintings from 1907 to 1912, and 1921 to 1922. Jahn sold one of the largest collections of Hitler's art, about 18 pieces, with an average selling price of $50,000. Many of Hitler's paintings were also bought by Samuel Morgenstern, an Austrian businessman and a business partner of the young Hitler. It was found that the majority of the buyers of Hitler's paintings were Jewish.
After World War II, a number of Hitler's paintings were recovered and sold at auctions. In 2015, one of his watercolours, The Old Town Hall (1914-15), was sold at Weilder’s for €130,000 ($147,444). In the same year, another piece of his artwork sold for $450,000 at a Nuremberg auction. In February 2025, an original one-of-a-kind Hitler painting on canvas, signed by the artist and dated 1941, was sold at Fairhill Auction LLC. In December 2024, another painting by Hitler, titled Church Scene, was sold at Antique Arena Inc.
Hitler's works as an artist have received mixed reviews. In his book, "Hitler and the Power of Aesthetics," Frederic Spotts notes that Hitler's paintings lacked originality and inspiration. He also points out that a modern art critic, upon reviewing Hitler’s pieces without knowing who painted them, observed that the way he drew human beings showed a "profound disinterest in people." Other critics have noted that Hitler's paintings come off as rushed or stressed, and that he struggled with point perspective and composition. However, one art critic described his pieces as "good."
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Frequently asked questions
Hitler showed some promise as a painter, displaying a draftsman's skill and mastery of watercolour. He was able to make a meagre living as a professional artist from 1908 to 1913. However, his works were considered to lack originality and inspiration.
Hitler painted simple landscapes, buildings, landmarks, and postcard scenes of Vienna. He also painted during World War I, with themes such as farmers' houses and the dressing station.
Hitler stopped painting after he was rejected from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna twice, in 1907 and 1908. He continued to paint as a hobby, but his main focus shifted to politics and his career as a dictator.
Yes, Hitler tried to destroy his early paintings by appointing Ernst Schulte Strathaus to locate and buy back his works from 1907 to 1912, and 1921 to 1922. He also allegedly ordered the collection and destruction of his artworks before his suicide, but several hundred are known to still exist.
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