Sunday, February 3, 2008

Propaganda/Art

The Flagbearer IMG_9728
Hubert Lanzinger, The Flagbearer, 1937, Washington DC, National Museum of the US Army, Army Art Collection.

In Umberto Eco "On Ugliness", 2007
p399. Discussed as kitsch.
A fairly amazing image. One wonders where it hung prior to being a spoil of war for the US Army.

A google search produced this:
"The original of "Der Fahnentrager" was seriously damaged at the end of World War II and is no longer available for public viewing."
While another site stated:
"It is interesting to note that this painting was stabbed in the face with a knife several times by vandals."
but no indication as to where it hung.

In hunting for information on this painting I came across a good article on Leni Riefenstahls "Triumph of the will". I've not seen the film, but nonetheless, the article was interesting in creating a political context and a close analysis of the film. Check it out.

article

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just recently discovered this painting myself and was totally impressed by the dark power of the image.... 'scar' on the face.. an amazing addition

I was then amused to find that the painting now belongs to the US Army Museum.... which curiously enough doesn't seem to exist.....? I've been looking for it via Google and have only found plans to build a Museum once funding is in place.

I'd love to know WHERE this painting is now..... if you get any leads please let me know....

Unknown said...

Is the scar a result of the stabbing? It doesn't appear on the cover of Burleigh's History of the Third Reich.

Merricks said...

Sorry, Alan and Gabriela. I forgot to source the comments I found on the internet, and have no idea whether or not they are true.
(Umberto Eco, on the other hand, does state (p397, "On Ugliness") that this is to be found in Washington, DC, in the National Museum of the US Army, Army Art Collection. (In other words, part of the spoils of war.)