Dictator Art!

Remember how, from the 18th century up until the 1930s, it was widely believed that Art elevated and redeemed the soul; that people who loved The Arts were invariably good, caring, decent, humane people? And if they weren't that way innately, The Arts would definitely make them so. Of course, Dr Goerring and co. put paid to that theory.

Recently, however, I've developed a fascination for the painting choices made by the uber-bastards of the world; the art truly nasty fascist-types choose to decorate their world! Of course, if it's the paintings from, say, their bedrooms - the innermost of the innermost sanctums - it's a BINGO!!! Check out these ones I've found so far. It's totally fun to attempt to work out "What were they THINKING?"

Here's the painting Adolf Hitler had in his bedroom of his flat in Berlin, right next to his bed:

Hitler, as seen by Hitler!

Isn't it odd that it's in the place you'd expect to see a mirror. This means, surely, that he chose to see himself in this image rather than in the reality of a mirror. But if you double-click on the photo for a close look, you'd see just what an ambiguous portrait it is. It's virtually unreadable. Is this really how he chose to see himself? Bizarre! It probably also explains why he never wore a tie! It would be hard to tie one while looking at a self-portrait!

But for the totally unambiguous, double-click on the portrait Mussolini chose to put behind the desk in his private office. Pure, machievellian evil? He'd be sitting at this desk, interviewing someone opposite, and they'd look from him up to the portrait and back again. Is it because he was trying to reinforce this vision of himself, or did he know that he was such a little man (he was remarkably short) that he couldn't send out that message without the underscoring of "help from above"? And this was in his private domain too! His home office! So this is where he'd be dealing with the people from his own private world! Family, friends, staff. Scary and bizarre!

Mussolini as portrayed by Mussolini!

But for absolutely SAD, you have to see this one from Imelda Marcos' bedroom. This is how she chose to see herself. Tall, slim and Anglo! Venus rising from the waves! An almost mythical creature! And since this is how she chose to portray herself in her own most-private domain, who the hell was she trying to fool? It could only have been herself, and that makes her - like Hitler above - seem downright delusional!

Imelda on Imelda!

And here's one from Saddam Hussain's private sitting room. It was painted on a wall where he could see it from his bed. OK, let's ignore the fact that Muslims aren't allowed to show representations of the human form ... and perhaps this painting - if it indeed represents how Muslims would paint the human form if they were allowed - demonstrates why this is indeed an excellent precept:

Saddam's personal porn?

Isn't this scary on so many levels! That Arian-god blondness, for starters! The "Wagnarian Siegfried" floored by a naked blond Playboy centrefold-woman, with her sword to his heart, as if it weren't enough that she'd already send out a boa-constrictor. And that Shatin Devil-figure hovering behind Playboy-woman! And what's that happening to her right?

Deep, huh! What a strange and complex fantasy-life Saddam indulged in! Mmm, and no wonder he chose to end up in a hole in the ground.


Well, those are the ones I've discovered so far. If you know where I can find anymore, I'd be so grateful. And I'd also love it if you let me know how you see these paintings. Am I missing anything? Please let me know!