Nazi and Fascist visual culture

Visual symbolism was important to Hitler and Mussolini, and both the Nazis and Fascists dedicated significant resources to promoting their ideologies through art and architecture.

1933–1945 C.E.

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Adolf Ziegler, <i>The Four Elements: Fire, Water and Earth, Air</i>
Adolf Ziegler, The Four Elements: Fire, Water and Earth, Air

Displayed in Adolf Hitler's Munich apartment, Ziegler's Four Elements reflects the fascist ideology of Nazi Germany.

The Mausoleum of Augustus and the Piazza Augusto Imperatore in Rome
The Mausoleum of Augustus and the Piazza Augusto Imperatore in Rome

From Augustus, to Mussolini, and now Bulgari, the long strange history of the Mausoleum of Augustus.

What is: Degenerate Art?
What is: Degenerate Art?

Explore the concept of ‘Degenerate Art’, a term adopted by the Nazi Party in 1920s Germany to describe art that did not conform to their ideal vision of the world.

Murals and Public Art in 1930s Rome
Murals and Public Art in 1930s Rome

In Rome, murals were harnessed to the political agenda of 1930s Fascism, a one-party state led by an authoritarian ruler.

Paul Troost, House of (German) Art
Paul Troost, House of (German) Art

The first of many buildings commissioned by Hitler, this was meant to seem timeless, like ancient ruins.

Art in Nazi Germany
Art in Nazi Germany

The Nazis organized two exhibitions in 1937: one glorified “Aryan” art, and the other condemned everything else.

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