The Seventh Secret Read Online Free PDF Page B

Earlier, he drew or painted the Vienna Burg Theatre, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Schonbrunn Palace, the Feldherrnhalle, a watercolor he called Street. in Vienna. After he moved to Munich he painted the Der Alter Hof —as late as 1914, I believe—The Old Court, which showed a grand house with a courtyard before it. Later, when Hitler came to power, he rounded up and destroyed many of his early efforts. Still, Hitler was not always displeased with his work. He once gave Albert Speer, his architect, a canvas of a Gothic church he had painted in 1909. He gave a few other canvases he liked to Göring and to Mussolini."
    Ricci leaned forward. "Then you think what I've shown you is an authentic Hitler?"
    "It certainly has some of the characteristics of Hitler's brush. First off, an official building as the subject. Then the style. Hitler praised his own artistry for its 'photo-graphic exactitude.' That is what your painting offers—a photographic quality, very real, but unimaginative and ordinary. It has what Hitler so admired in an artist he himself collected, one Adolf Ziegler, a Munich second-rater—it has a kind of stilted grandeur. Yes, what you have shown me could be a genuine Hitler."
    "I hope so," said Ricci nervously. He kept glancing at the door, obviously conscious that the verdict would soon be in. Then, as if to fill the passage of time, he asked, -Do you know anything of Hitler's own tastes, not as a painter but as a collector?"
    Kirvov wrinkled his fleshy nose. "Hitler was devoid of any true artistic taste. When he became chancellor of Germany, he tried to wipe out all modern and avant-garde painters and paintings. He called them degenerates. He despised Picasso and Kandinsky. He liked classical art, anything derived from Greek-Nordic art. He called modern eroticism in paintings 'pig art,' al-though he admired healthy and innocent classical nudes. A dull and mediocre man, our artistic Hitler. Still he is elusive and mysterious as a person and it amuses me to collect his art."
    For ten minutes, Kirvov discussed German art under Hitler, and then there was a knock on the door. Kirvov jumped up, opened the door, took the oil back from his secretary along with a note.
    Sitting, Kirvov laid down the painting and read the note. He nodded to himself and took in his guest once more. "As I expected," said Kirvov. "My expert out there believes this might be a Hitler. Of course, he can't be positive with such a brief examination. He would need more time to study it. At any rate, I think you can rest assured that my associate and I believe it is probably authentic."
    Kirvov stood up to return the canvas to his visitor.
    The cruise steward also rose. "I appreciate this. I want to thank you, and pay you whatever you—"
    Kirvov smiled. "No charge. On the house. In fact, I appreciate the opportunity to have been able to see an unknown Hitler painting." He started to hand over the canvas to Ricci. "You will be pleased to add this to your Hitler collection."
    Ricci did not take the painting. "I have no Hitler collection. To be honest, I have no interest in Hitler's art at all."
    "But then why did you . . ." He stared at his guest. "You want to sell it? Is that it?"
    "No, not really," said Ricci. "I bought it in order to trade it for something I'd rather have, something else I've been collecting for a few years now."
    Kirvov raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What are you collecting?"
    "Icons. Old Russian icons. I love them. Actually I've been in Russia before on cruises, and made some contacts, and I have three so far. I'd like more. But I find them rather expensive." He hesitated. "I—I'd let you have this Hitler painting in return for a genuine icon, if you have any to spare."
    Kirvov thought about the offer. But not for very long.
    He coveted the Hitler painting on his desk. It might be a rarity and would certainly enhance his collection. He had little doubt about its authenticity. As to icons, he had dozens to spare