Large Oil Painting – Hitler & Mussolini

This is an old and large oil painting – (height 100 cms X width 92 cms), painted in thick oils. It depicts Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini during the Italians leaders state visit to Nazi Germany between 27th & 30th September 1937. Both leaders are watching a military parade in Munich so as to demonstrate the military strength of Germany. There is also a period black & white photo that would have been used by the artist to produce this painting.

The painting is performed on a thick woven canvas with only very minor cracking of the paint surface. Colours remain vibrant and the painting does appear that it may have been cleaned at some time.

The frame is made of moulded plaster and has a gold guilt wash, typical of the 30s era style. There are areas of minor damage to the frame at the front and the reverse does show a few areas where the wood has split, although the canvas remains tight to the frame. Generally the frame is in good condition and certainly the fixings used to secure the canvas have never been removed, this frame is original to the painting.

Certainly at the rear of the painting it does show age, War-Den considers this painting to be from the late 30s or 40s era. It is signed bottom right ” Battista T”. The “T” does look like a “71”, but the ageing alone that is present in the framework of this painting does confirm that this painting is much older.

A nice old oil painting which would fit nicely as a centre piece of any Third Reich collection.