Hans Prinzhorn

Hans Prinzhorn

Hans Prinzhorn (June 6 1886 - June 14 1933) 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. He later received training in medicine and psychiatrics, serving as an Army surgeon during World War I.

In 1919 he became assistant to Karl Wilmanns at the psychiatric hospital of the University of Heidelberg. His task was to extend an earlier collection of art created by the mentally ill and started by Emil Kraepelin. When he left in 1921 the collection was extended to more than 5000 works by about 450 "cases".

In 1922 he published his first and most influential book "Bildnerei der Geisteskranken" ("Artistry of the Mentally Ill"), richly illustrated with examples from the collection. While his colleagues were reserved in their reaction, the art scene was enthusiastic. Jean Dubuffet was highly inspired by the works, and the term Outsider art was coined.

The book is mainly concerned with the borderline between psychiatry and art, illness and self-expression. It represents one of the first attempts to analyse the work of the mentally ill.

After short stays at sanatories in Zurich, Dresden and Wiesbaden, he opened a psychotherapical praxis in Frankfurt in 1925, but without much success. He continued to write books, and half-a-dozen were published in his lifetime. His hopes to find a permanent position at a university were never fulfilled. Disillusioned by professional failures, and after three failed marriages, he moved in with an aunt in Munich and retreated from public life, making a living from giving lectures and writing essays. He died in 1933 in Munich of typhus.

Shortly after his death the "Prinzhorn collection" was stowed away in the attics of the university. In 1938 a few items were displayed in the Nazi propaganda exhibition "Entartete Kunst". Since 2001 the collection is on display in a former oratory of the University of Heidelberg.

Books

* 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), 1995. ISBN 3-211-82639-4
* Hans Prinzhorn, "Expressions de le Folie". Paris: Gallimard, 1984.
*Catherine de Zegher (ed.), "The Prinzhorn Collection: Traces upon the Wunderblock". Essays by C. de Zegher, Hal Foster, Sander L. Gilman, Allen S. Weiss and Bracha Lichtenberg Ettinger. The Drawing Center's "Drawing Papers n. 7", 2000.

Films

* Christian Beetz, "BETWEEN INSANITY AND BEAUTY - THE ART COLLECTION OF DR. PRINZHORN", Adolf-Grimme-Award 2008, (Producer beetz brothers film production, Germany), 2008.The film follows the history of the Prinzhorn collection illustrating the inner conflicts of the schizophrenic patients through their artwork.

External links

* [http://prinzhorn.uni-hd.de/index_eng.shtml The Prinzhorn Collection]

* [http://beetz-brothers.de beetz-brothers film production]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Hans Prinzhorn — als Abiturient (1904) Hans Prinzhorn (* 6. Juni 1886 in Hemer, Westfalen; † 14. Juni 1933 in München) war ein deutscher Psychiater und Kunsthistoriker. Nach ihm ist die Prinzhorn Sammlung benannt, eine Sammlung mit Bildwerken von Geistesk …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Hans Prinzhorn — (1904) Sa maison de naissance à …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Hans-Prinzhorn-Klinik — Vorlage:Infobox Krankenhaus/Logo fehltVorlage:Coordinate/Wartung/Krankenhaus LWL Klinik Hemer Trägerschaft Landschaftsverband Westfalen Lippe Ort Hemer Bundesland Nordrhein Westfalen Staat …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Prinzhorn — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Adolf Prinzhorn (1834–1913), Chemiker und Mitgründer von Continental AG Hans Prinzhorn (1886–1933), deutscher Psychiater und Kunsthistoriker Thomas Prinzhorn (* 1943), österreichischer Industrieller und… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Prinzhorn Dance School — Infobox musical artist 2 Name = Prinzhorn Dance School Img capt = Background = group or band Origin = Brighton, UK Instruments = Genre = Alternative, post punk Formed = 2006 Years active = 2006 present Label = DFA Records URL =… …   Wikipedia

  • Hans-Georg Kern — Georg Baselitz photographiert von Lothar Wolleh Georg Baselitz (* geboren als Hans Georg Kern am 23. Januar 1938 in Deutschbaselitz (sorbisch Němske Pazlicy), heute ein Ortsteil von Kamenz in der sächsischen Oberlausitz) ist ein deutscher Maler… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Prinzhorn-Archiv — Villa Grah Das Felsenmeermuseum ist ein 1989 eröffnetes Heimatmuseum in Hemer. Es ist in der 1902 gebauten, unter Denkmalschutz stehenden Villa Grah im Stadtteil Sundwig untergebracht und nach dem benachbarten Felsenmeer benannt worden. Das… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sammlung Prinzhorn — Prinzhorn Geburtshaus in Hemer Brief der Psychiatriepatientin Emma Hauck 1909, von Prinzhorn als Beispiel für „Kritzeleien“ angeführt, Sammlung Prinzhorn …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Prinzhorn — Prịnzhorn,   Hans, Psychiater, * Hemer 8. 6. 1886, ✝ München 14. 6. 1933; ab 1924 Nervenarzt in Frankfurt am Main, Schüler von L. Klages. Sein Hauptinteresse galt der Psychotherapie und der Charakterologie. Bekannt wurde Prinzhorn v. a. durch… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Schulen in Hemer — gibt es etwa seit 1600, als die heutige Woesteschule als evangelische Kirchspielschule den Unterricht aufnahm. Zuvor unterrichteten Privatlehrer die Kinder wohlhabenderer Hemeraner Familien in den Wohnhäusern. Heute gibt es in der Stadt Hemer in… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”