Finally, a symbol so clear, so convincing, so telling of the state of the arts today that even the ostriches with their heads in the sand can see it. Hitler, yes the Hitler, is hot as hell.

In 2010, Adolf Hitler has been selling paintings like so much Nazi propaganda. In England this past April, a group of paintings and drawings raked in well over $100,000 for one collector. And this was for the 'artwork' that got Hitler rejected, twice, from the art academy in Vienna as a young man (which he blamed on a Jewish administrator). For the aspiring artist there are lessons to be learned here, lessons about how to fill a room with some of the industry's top collectors and dealers.

Hitler the artist lacked the technical skills needed to get into art school. He wasn't a creative person either, and copied most of his ideas from other paintings. Nor was Hitler the artist a hard worker. He was lazy as an artist (as he was lazy as leader of Germany). When he finally managed to sell some paintings through a friend, paintings that were primarily used as cheap illustrations to help sell frames, he needed constant prodding even to finish those (interestingly, his most reliable customer was a Jew). Hitler the artist also lacked determination and perseverance. He gave up easily, and never returned to painting or drawing as an adult when he had the means to do anything he chose whenever he chose. Hitler the artist used his rejection by the art establishment to fuel a burning hatred for the world around him, a hatred that ultimately spun out of control. Eventually, Hitler the artist found his true calling, inciting a crowd into a frenzy. At nothing else did he succeed, neither in politics nor military matters, nor anything else... until now that is.

There are a lot of artists out there who work hard year after year, day after day on their craft. There are artists that have sacrificed family, friends, fame, and fortune to make art that they believe is important to make. Some of these artists struggle to put a healthy meal on their table, and a lucky few can afford to see a doctor when they get sick. And yet these are the best artists. There is a lot of good that one of those artists could do with $100,000. The next time one of these artists asks for advice, one of these real artists that can't catch a break, here is a suggestion: follow Hitler.

One gallerist, who wanted to remain anonymous, went so far as to joke that it was time to, “Sell gold, buy Hitler.” The implication is that art is no less an investment than gold. From looking at Hitler's art, which is difficult to do on many levels, it appears that art is much less useful than gold (and gold is not all that useful in today's society). The implication in "Sell gold, buy Hitler" is that the quality of a piece of art has nothing to do with the price of the art, and that the quality of the art has nothing to do with the ability of the art to make it's way into galleries, museums, publications, or the living room of some bon vivant. It is the proof that 'successful' art, in today's climate, has nothing to do with skill, creativity, hard work or perseverance. The lesson to learn is that the fame and notoriety of the name behind the art is what matters.

Tilmann Bassenge, a Berlin gallery owner, was quoted as saying, “The paintings are mediocre, the figurative work even worse, but of course people are snapping them up not because of any artistic merit but because of their investment value, secured by his signature.” Richard Westwood-Brookes, a historical documents expert at Mullock's auction house in England where the artwork was sold, said, “I don't take any moral position” on the sale of Hitler's art. “You can't say this guy was a bad guy, so I won't sell his memorabilia, this guy was a good guy so I will sell his. If you do that, where do you stop?”

Indeed, where do you stop? Here's one suggestion, stop at Hitler. Stop at the idea that you and your collectors and dealers will do anything within the bounds of the law to make a buck. You could stop in at the auction lately garnering all this buzz and eavesdrop on the "collectors" talking about which Hitler 'piece' they're going to bid on. Why stop there? Ask a Jew, or the relatives of any political dissident, homosexual, poet, or anti-Nazi who was killed. Ask the artists that are working hard, trying to live a decent life today. Where do you stop? Just don't be surprised one day when someone kills for the chance to become the next art star, the next Hitler.