"Degenerate Art"

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Joseph Goebbels enters the Degenerate Art Exhibit in 1938. Note the two Emil Nolde paintings behind him.

Right after the opening of the Great German Art Exhibition, another exhibit opened not too far away, that being the "Degenerate Art Exhibit." This exhibit existed to show art that, as the exhibit's name suggested, was labeled "degenerate" by the Nazi party. Most of this art was modern art and movements, particularly expressionism, but you could find cubist, dadaist, and surrealist paintings on display in the exhibit. (Florida Center for Instructional Technology and College of Education, University of South Florida)

The image on this page actually has two paintings by Emil Nolde, a famous expressionist; Nolde was well-known at the time and an active member of the Nazi party, even being a guest of honor for Heinrich Himmler at an event back in 1933. Despite this, his paintings were still used in the exhibit. (Moulson) The exhibit drew international attention during its run, as was far more successful than the previously mentioned Great German Art Exhibit. (Cotter)