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An American born in Ohio, Kitaj was a merchant seaman before
joining the Royal Academy in London in the 1960s. Here he became friends with
David Hockney and was a member of the Young Contemporaries.
His works show the political and social effects of mass culture, partly with
reference to historical events, which in this case was the persecution of
the Jews by Nazi Germany.
His works can be found in galleries across the world including San Francisco,
Montana, Norway, the Tate in London and the National Portrait Gallery.
This artwork was conserved in 2001 with the aid of a grant from North West
Museums Service.
Do you think you should have a say in how your country is run? Until the 1920s, women were not allowed to vote in Britain. They were only allowed to after many years of campaigning. A hundred years before, only wealthy men could vote. At the last General Election, almost half the electorate didn't vote.
This painting hints at the plight of Jews in the undemocratic Germany of
the 1930s. Minority people are often scapegoated and punished in non-democratic
societies. There is no one in power to support them.
The White Rose full of buds, whispers secrecy and the dangers of discovery…
"GO AND GET KILLED COMRADE - WE NEED A BYRON IN THE MOVEMENT"
Mmmmmm, and 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life
for his friends.'
Now there's altruism, there's true generosity for you. Do you think,
you should you be prepared to die in the name of your deepest beliefs?
For Freedom? For God? For Democracy?
Mmmmmmmm… See - it strikes me,
that generally, the people who urge people to go out and die for the cause
are not usually the people who do the actual dying.
I fear the day when I can't tell my enemies from my friends. It is a terrible
thing to waste a life to waste the life of others is a thing way beyond all
contempt.