1938

Book, 15.4 x 20.5 x 0.8 cm.
Materials: paper, ink

Collection: Collection MHKA, Antwerp.

Published in 1938, a year after the opening of the Entartete Kunst exhibition, this book is a typical example of Nazi criticism of modernist art, with expressionist and abstract works being juxtaposed with politically favourable German ('Deutsche') works. The artworks condemned by the author were selected from the list of 'degenerate artworks' presented at the infamous exhibition. The pairings of illustrations in the book are arranged by subject and aimed to show the reader the difference between ambiguous modernist creations, which always require additional comments, and true German artworks, which according to the author, have no need for any explanation and “immediately provide German people with the experience of real art”.