‘Hitler is everywhere’, even in a $15 million waxwork

A waxwork figure of Hitler is the unlikely highlight of a Christie's auction of Modern, Post-War and Contemporary Art in New York on May 8th.

Made in 2001 by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, the sculpture of the Nazi leader, entitled Him, has a top estimate of $15 million.

Christie's describes Him as a masterpiece of contemporary art and Cattelan as "among the greatest image makers of our time", saying his Hitler piece "defied the taboos of representation, by disguising evil incarnate under a cloak of innocence".

The sculpture made of wax shows Hitler in “civvies” – a polyester suit – and is topped with real human hair.

A catalogue note for the auction explains the lot: "Depicting Hitler's likeness, Him is cast kneeling in prayer – raising challenging questions about action and absolution.

“The sculpture is intended to be approached by the viewer from the back, a viewpoint from which the subject’s face goes unseen and his anonymous form appears vulnerable and childlike.

“Once the viewer circles around to the front, the reviled subject is immediately identified.

“In doing so, the viewer’s initial impression is forcibly redefined, the realisation becoming a powerful reminder that the face of evil is not always obvious.”

There’s also a quote from the artist who remarked: “I wanted to destroy it myself. I changed my mind a thousand times, every day. Hitler is pure fear; it’s an image of terrible pain.

Taboo

“It even hurts to pronounce his name. And yet that name has conquered my memory, it lives in my head, even if it remains taboo. Hitler is everywhere, haunting the spectre of history; and yet he is unmentionable, irreproducible, wrapped in a blanket of silence.

“I’m not trying to offend anyone. I don’t want to raise a new conflict or create some publicity; I would just like that image to become a territory for negotiation or a test for our psychoses.”

Cattelan, aged 55, was born in Padua, Italy, in 1960 and is best known for his satirical sculptures, most notably La Nona Ora [The Ninth Hour] which depicts Pope John Paul II being struck by a meteorite.

When the piece was exhibited in the pope’s native Poland the museum director was dismissed from her job.

One of two versions of the piece sold at Christie’s in New York 15 years ago for $886,000.

Christie’s says the title of the auction is “Bound To Fail”, which “explores the theme of failure, with the understanding that failure for any artist is the risk that they take when pushing boundaries and challenging the concept of fine art and commercial success”.