ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Jake and Dinos Chapman Deface Hitler's Watercolors

opinion-review · 2026-04-23

Two days after the opening of FIAC, critic Jean-Max Colard published an article on Le Monde's website denouncing artists Jake and Dinos Chapman for painting over watercolors by Adolf Hitler, apparently acquired at auction. The works are landscapes from the 1910s, to which the duo added rainbows and multicolored stars. A previous series was titled If Hitler Had Been a Hippie, How Happy We Would Be.

Key facts

  • Jean-Max Colard published an article on Le Monde's website criticizing Jake and Dinos Chapman.
  • The artists painted over watercolors by Adolf Hitler.
  • The watercolors are landscapes from the 1910s.
  • The duo added rainbows and multicolored stars to the works.
  • The watercolors were apparently acquired at auction.
  • A previous series by the Chapman brothers was titled If Hitler Had Been a Hippie, How Happy We Would Be.
  • The article was published two days after the opening of FIAC.

Entities

Artists

  • Jake Chapman
  • Dinos Chapman
  • Adolf Hitler
  • Jean-Max Colard

Institutions

  • Le Monde
  • FIAC

Sources