Carl Spitzweg’s “The Poor Poet,” reputed to be a favorite painting of Hitler's, was first stolen as a piece of performance art. But its second theft was no jape.

When Spitzweg first presented "The Poor Poet" to the critics at Munich’s art club in 1839, they weren’t impressed. It took until two years after he died for the painting to make it into a museum.

Ad Policy. The Poor Poet, a painting by Carl Spitzweg (1808–1885). (Photo by Leemage / Corbis via Getty Images) Who is Ben Lerner? Readers of his fiction will be able to supply some answers: an ...

There’s a Criminal Touch to Art (1976).. He began “casing the joint,” what criminologists refer to as “hostile surveillance,” targeting the 1839 work, The Poor Poet, well known as Hitler ...

In 1976 Ulay decided to steal the painting 'Der arme Poet' (The Poor Poet) (1839) by Carl Spitzweg, which was said to be Hitler's favorite painting.