Artistry of the Mentally Ill
Encyclopedia
Artistry of the Mentally Ill was a 1922 book by psychiatrist
Hans Prinzhorn
, and is known as the work that launched the field of psychiatric art
. It was the first attempt to analyze the drawings of the mentally ill not merely psychologically, but also aesthetically.
In the book, Prinzhorn presents the works of ten "schizophrenic masters" from the Heidelberg collection, with in-depth aesthetic analysis of each and also full-color reproductions of their work. These ten masters were:
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Hans Prinzhorn
Hans Prinzhorn
Hans Prinzhorn was a German psychiatrist and art historian.Born in Hemer, Westphalia, he studied art history and philosophy at the University of Vienna, receiving his doctorate in 1908. He then went to England to receive voice training, as he planned to become a professional singer...
, and is known as the work that launched the field of psychiatric art
Outsider Art
The term outsider art was coined by art critic Roger Cardinal in 1972 as an English synonym for art brut , a label created by French artist Jean Dubuffet to describe art created outside the boundaries of official culture; Dubuffet focused particularly on art by insane-asylum inmates.While...
. It was the first attempt to analyze the drawings of the mentally ill not merely psychologically, but also aesthetically.
In the book, Prinzhorn presents the works of ten "schizophrenic masters" from the Heidelberg collection, with in-depth aesthetic analysis of each and also full-color reproductions of their work. These ten masters were:
- Karl BrendelKarl Brendelwas a schizophrenic outsider artist and one of the "schizophrenic masters" profiled by Hans Prinzhorn in his field-defining work Artistry of the Mentally Ill...
- August KlotzAugust KlotzAugust Klotz was a German schizophrenic outsider artist and one of the "schizophrenic masters" profiled by Hans Prinzhorn in his field-defining work Artistry of the Mentally Ill....
- Peter MoogPeter MoogPeter Moog was a schizophrenic outsider artist and one of the "schizophrenic masters" profiled by Hans Prinzhorn in his field-defining work Artistry of the Mentally Ill....
- August Neter
- Johann KnüpferJohann KnüpferJohann Knüpfer was a schizophrenic outsider artist and one of the "schizophrenic masters" profiled by Hans Prinzhorn in his field-defining work Artistry of the Mentally Ill....
- Viktor OrthViktor OrthViktor Orth was a schizophrenic outsider artist and one of the "schizophrenic masters" profiled by Hans Prinzhorn in his field-defining work Artistry of the Mentally Ill....
- Hermann Beil
- Heinrich Welz
- Joseph Sell
- Franz PohlFranz PohlFranz Pohl was a schizophrenic outsider artist and one of the "schizophrenic masters" profiled by Hans Prinzhorn in his field-defining work Artistry of the Mentally Ill....
Resources
- Hans Prinzhorn, Artistry of the mentally ill: a contribution to the psychology and psychopathology of configuration, translated by Eric von Brockdorff from the second German edition, with an introduction by James L. Foy, (Wien, New York: Springer-Verlag), 1972. ISBN 3-540-05508-8.