Karl Brendel
Encyclopedia
was a schizophrenic outsider art
ist and one of the "schizophrenic masters" profiled by Hans Prinzhorn
in his field-defining work Artistry of the Mentally Ill
(1923, in German; English edition 1972). He was the only sculptor profiled in Prinzhorn's work, and the work also includes more illustrations of his work (twenty-four sculptures and eight drawings) than that of any other profiled artist.
, the son of a freight transporter and one of eight children, attending school through the age of 14 and becoming employed variously as a bricklayer
, plasterer
, and iron moulder in a foundry. He married a widow with three children in 1895 and had two children of his own with her. However, from 1892 on Brendel was sentenced 12 times for assault and battery and property damage, and had to serve a prison term in 1902, at which point his marriage ended. His left leg was injured in an accident in 1900, and later amputated.
The first records of his mental illness come from 1906, when the prison doctor noticed megalomaniacal delusions and abnormal physical sensations; Brendel claimed that he has already experienced a sacrificial death, and that he was Jesus Christ. He was admitted to the Eickelborn asylum, near Lippstadt
, in 1907.
His favorite subjects for carving were animal reliefs and depictions of his religious hallucinations, particularly the Christ motif. All of his human figures, including Christ, were usually depicted as hermaphrodites. Brendel generally worked in hard woods which he then painted or varnished.
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...
ist and one of the "schizophrenic masters" profiled by 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...
in his field-defining work Artistry of the Mentally Ill
Artistry of the Mentally Ill
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...
(1923, in German; English edition 1972). He was the only sculptor profiled in Prinzhorn's work, and the work also includes more illustrations of his work (twenty-four sculptures and eight drawings) than that of any other profiled artist.
Life
Brendel was born in central GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the son of a freight transporter and one of eight children, attending school through the age of 14 and becoming employed variously as a bricklayer
Bricklayer
A bricklayer or mason is a craftsman who lays bricks to construct brickwork. The term also refers to personnel who use blocks to construct blockwork walls and other forms of masonry. In British and Australian English, a bricklayer is colloquially known as a "brickie".The training of a trade in...
, plasterer
Plasterer
A plasterer is a tradesman who works with plaster, such as forming a layer of plaster on an interior wall or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls...
, and iron moulder in a foundry. He married a widow with three children in 1895 and had two children of his own with her. However, from 1892 on Brendel was sentenced 12 times for assault and battery and property damage, and had to serve a prison term in 1902, at which point his marriage ended. His left leg was injured in an accident in 1900, and later amputated.
The first records of his mental illness come from 1906, when the prison doctor noticed megalomaniacal delusions and abnormal physical sensations; Brendel claimed that he has already experienced a sacrificial death, and that he was Jesus Christ. He was admitted to the Eickelborn asylum, near Lippstadt
Lippstadt
Lippstadt is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the largest town within the district of Soest.-Geography:Lippstadt is situated in the Lippe valley, roughly 70 kilometres east of Dortmund and roughly 30 kilometres west of Paderborn...
, in 1907.
Art
Brendel's first artistic expressions came from 1912, when he began modeling obscene figures out of chewed bread. Although none of his bread sculptures survive, he was encouraged by a physician to begin woodcarving at this time.His favorite subjects for carving were animal reliefs and depictions of his religious hallucinations, particularly the Christ motif. All of his human figures, including Christ, were usually depicted as hermaphrodites. Brendel generally worked in hard woods which he then painted or varnished.
Resources
- Freeman, Barbara. "Biographies of Outsider Artists." Parallel Visions: Modern Artists and Outsider Art. Ed. Maurice Tuchman. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992. p. 26. ISBN 0-691-03213-0.
- Prinzhorn, Hans. Artistry of the mentally ill: a contribution to the psychology and psychopathology of configuration. Trans. Eric von Brockdorff. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag, 1972. ISBN 3-540-05508-8.
Other references
- "Africa within us?", Royal Anthropological Institute News, June 1979.