Introduction | Art and Politics | Images of the Heads of State | Images of the Individual and Society
Images of Work and Development | Images of War | A Difficult Heritage
To mobilise and motivate the population, the governments of all four countries used traditional art and architecture as well as the modern mass-media of photography and cinema. The aim was to disseminate the state’s ideology as effectively as possible.
Large public construction projects, major national exhibitions and art for public buildings were supervised by the government – and sometimes even by the head of state personally. The totalitarian systems demanded absolute authority over art and cultural life in their territories, promulgating ideological guidelines for the arts and rigorously suppressing dissenting views.
In the context of the New Deal, the American government made unprecedented efforts to provide employment for artists and also organised competitions and exhibitions to commission new works.
360° Panorama
