Art by Murderers

An article on the Huffington Post discusses why artworks done by notorious criminals are so popular, and can bring in tons of money. One theory is that it is their notoriety that makes the art so attractive- furthermore, were it not for their crimes, would anyone view their art as valuable? Another theory is that their art gives us a chance to learn about what’s going on in their heads and “gain some insight into the criminal mind.” Both are valid arguments- can you come up with any others? The first (top) is by Henry Lee Lucas, who was convicted for 11 different murders but is estimated to have performed around 350. His painting is very interesting because it depicts a calm, beautiful landscape- not something one would naturally expect to be brought forth from the subconscious of a killer. The second (middle) is by Charles Bronson, who is considered the “most violent prisoner in Britain.” You can look up more of his artwork; they mainly show his attitude about prison life in great detail. Finally, the last artwork is done by none other than Adolf Hitler. I hope I’m not the only one who had no idea he was such a great artist?