6 world leaders who excelled not only in politics, but also in art

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Many famous politicians were engaged not only in social and political activities, but also fond of painting. And despite the fact that most of the works were subjected to harsh criticism and discussion, many of them can be found in museums or in private collections around the world. However, at one of the auctions in 2019, Hitler's paintings remained without a buyer, although for a couple of decades they were eagerly bought by both Russian and Jewish collectors.

1. George W. Bush

Needless to say, George W. Bush, one of the most talked about and scandalous politicians of our time, is fond of painting? When the President of the United States stopped waving his weapon and took up a brush, the world breathed a sigh of relief.

Remember the scandal eight years ago, when after the hacking of the mail of one of the president's relatives, two of his self-portraits were posted on the Internet, in one of which George is taking a shower? And all would be fine, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Despite the fact that these works are not of particular value, nevertheless, at one time they managed to make a lot of noise, causing a flurry of indignation from the public, journalists and critics. In other words, all this did not in the least prevent the former President of the United States from continuing his creative activity.

As you know, his interest in painting began with attempts to paint a portrait of his own dog. Then he improved his skills in drawing animals and only over time switched to people, starting with his own self-portraits and not only. Among his works are more than thirty portraits of world leaders. Tony Blair, as well as Vladimir Putin, whom the artist painted from photographs found on the Internet, did not go unnoticed.

Most of his paintings are kept in Dallas at the George W. Bush Museum and in the Presidential Library.

2. Prince Charles

Inspired by the work of Robert Waddell, Prince Charles began painting in the 70s, eventually opting for the whimsical and unpredictable watercolors.

Seven years later, his paintings were first exhibited at Windsor Castle next to the works of Queen Victoria herself (she adored watercolors and was an avid watercolorist) and the works of the Duke of Edinburgh, who was a designer and artist (according to his sketches, stained glass windows were created in the private chapel of Windsor Castle).

After the successfully passed exhibition, Charles began to demonstrate his work to the public with pleasure. Many of his paintings have become very popular not only in the UK, but also abroad.

Although the prince humbly describes himself as an "enthusiastic lover," he received an impressive £ 2 million from the sale of copies of his watercolors between the late 90s and 2016. According to the Daily Telegraph, this has made him one of the nation's top-selling living artists.

All proceeds from the sale of funds Charles donated to the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation.

It is also worth noting the fact that he is an avid lover of painting landscapes and outdoor scenes. In addition, his work has been featured on stamps in the UK and even on the Swiss ski pass.

3. Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler is one of the most notorious dictators in history. After coming to power as Fuehrer of Nazi Germany, he and his followers were responsible for the deaths of millions of people, not to mention the world's greatest massive theft and destruction of priceless works of art. However, you may not know that Hitler dreamed of becoming an artist from an early age and in fact created works of art, mostly paintings.

He even received significant support from his loving mother in his pursuits. However, the life of a stereotypical artist is not what most parents want their children to be, especially hot-tempered, harsh civil servants like Alois Hitler, Adolf's father. Alois probably shared some of the above sentiments. He often beat his son and refused to acknowledge his artistic ambitions. In an attempt to put Adolf on a more sustainable path, he enrolled him in a technical school.

Without a doubt, all this and more, including his failed career in art, contributed to what Adolf and his followers used for their rise to power. His quest to cleanse the German state did not end with the extermination of Jews, Gypsies, people of color, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses and Nazi dissidents. He also sought to purify culture by opposing contemporary art, calling it a "degenerate" product of the Bolsheviks and Jews.

Perhaps this is only an assumption, but many historians and art historians admit the idea that his own artistic tastes and flaws may have played a role in his views on contemporary art, which did not prevent him from creating his own paintings.

After coming to power in Germany, he allegedly collected and destroyed most of his art. However, there are still several hundred of them in collections around the world. Four of his watercolors now belong to the United States Army after they were confiscated during World War II. In addition, the International Museum of World War II in the United States houses one of the largest collections of Hitler's art.

In Germany, it is virtually legal to sell works signed by an infamous dictator if they do not feature Nazi symbols. When they are actually put up for sale, they are guaranteed to generate controversy. At the 2015 auction in Nuremberg, fourteen of Hitler's works were sold for almost half a million dollars. While many disagree with the sale of items directly associated with a dark, troubling historical period or figure, the auction house defended its decision, arguing for the historical importance of the pieces.

Also, questions often arise regarding their authenticity. Last year, police raided the Kloss auction house in Berlin and seized three watercolors that were believed to be fakes. About a month later, even more suspicion arose with the sale of Nazi memorabilia, including five paintings attributed to Hitler. Rumors of fraud and high starting prices (from twenty to fifty thousand dollars) scared off potential buyers, leaving the paintings on the auction block. The mayor of Nuremberg condemned the sale, saying it was at least bad form.

Heinz-Joachim Maeder, a spokesman for the auction house Kloss, once said that the high prices and media interest in Hitler's work are simply due to the name signed on the works, suggesting that they have little artistic or historical value.

4. Winston Churchill

Best known as the British Prime Minister during World War II, Churchill was also an amateur painter and passionate writer.

During World War I, Winston Churchill took a break from the tumultuous world of politics, spending several months in France as a lieutenant colonel in the British army. Although he soon returned to governing the country, this brief respite had at least one lasting effect. Churchill, who was then in his forties, loved painting for the rest of his life.

Drawing on friendships with artists such as John Lavery, W. R. Sickert and William Nicholson, Churchill developed his craft under the guidance of these pioneers of British art. Nevertheless, according to the great-grandson of the politician, his great-grandfather did not take his paintings very seriously, because he painted them for pleasure.

The works of the statesman are mainly represented by landscapes and seascapes, inspired by the bright colors of the Impressionists, including the work of Claude Monet. Politics rarely appeared in Churchill's writings, but The Beach at Walmer, the natural scene included in the exhibit, is an exception to this trend.

The canvas, painted in 1938, shows a Napoleonic-era cannon pointing towards the ocean, where Winston, recognizable by his red hair, stands next to his family in the surf.

According to folk lore, the Romans invaded Britain through this very beach in 55 BC. e., attaching historical significance to this place, which the politician knew well on the eve of the next international conflict.

In addition to all this, he was inspired by his travels, painting landscapes of places like Morocco and France. "Battlements of Carcassonne", another painting that depicts a view from the wall in the French city of the same name, occupied by the Nazis during the Second World War.

More often than not, Churchill focused his work on the scenery around his home studio in Chartwell. As the Prime Minister's granddaughter, Emma Stoes, noted at the exhibition opening symposium, he spent most of his free time painting outdoors in the Kent countryside and on his estate:.

5. Dwight David Eisenhower

Painting was not what Eisenhower wanted to excel at, or perhaps thought he could succeed. Stevens sent him a complete drawing kit, which he appreciated but considered a "waste of money" that a boy from a poor house would never be able to accept peacefully. Maybe it was this innate thriftiness and desire not to waste gifts that prompted him to practice. Eisenhower was convinced that in order to become an artist, he lacked the most essential thing - ability. Nevertheless, the former president of the United States managed to leave behind several paintings, which depict landscapes and his wife.

6. Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria was eight years old when she started painting. And many of her paintings and sketches have survived to this day. From what most of us have read in the history books, we know Queen Victoria as one of the longest reigning British monarchs, under whose rule much of the world was colonized.

In addition to politics, she was fond of art, as she was an artist herself. The royal family's official Instagram account gave the world a unique glimpse of her work by sharing one of her earliest paintings from 1845 of her children Princess Alice, Princess Victoria and Prince Edward.

Home and home life became a common theme for the monarch's watercolors and drawings, according to the official website of the Royal Collection Trust.

As a young princess, Victoria drew sketches of her pets, including Dash, her beloved King Charles Spaniel. She drew sketches of characters with whom she had to come across in the ballet, and Victoria also sketched her coronation, which took place in 1838. The Queen also painted gardens and landscapes. One of her paintings from 1847 shows a tree in Buckingham Palace.

Continuing the theme of artists, read about how Klimt's style changed and to whom the great painter dedicated his little-known portraits.