Karl Hofer - Other Paintings on the Internet

Santa Denunziata was painted by Karl Hofer in 1941. That was the year his former wife Mathide Hofer was denounced by a Gestapo informant and sent to Auschwitz where she died in 1942. Hofer was quoted as saying at the time: "When they are finished with the Jews, they will start with the artists, and with all of those who cannot defend themselves." Hofer was officially banned from painting in 1938 by the Nazi government. He painted this and a number of other works in secret between 1938 and the end of World War II in 1945. I've found the reading for this week to be very somber and chilling. That mood is seen in the other two paintings in this post; I found all three paintings on the Internet.


Night of the Dark Moon (on the left) was also painted by Hofer during the period when he was banned from the practice of his art. Finished in 1944 it preceded a particularly dark piece done in the wake of the end of the war. Dance of the Death, 1946 (on the right) shows an extremely morbid view of life even after the war. I'm feeling quite fortunate to be alive now and living in this country.