An Open Letter to Hermann Rorschach

Abstract

Abstract. The Rorschach has become a cultural icon. Over the last century, Hermann Rorschach’s creative experiment has imbedded itself in our society and captured the imagination of generations of clinicians, researchers, artists, writers, and the lay public in general. The author writes an imaginary letter to Hermann Rorschach, informing him of what has become of the inkblot experiment he began over 100 years ago. Inviting the reader to join in this imagined communication, the author recounts what became of some of Rorschach’s colleagues and followers who promoted his test. The author informs Rorschach about the universal appeal of his experiment, along with the developments and the challenges to his inkblots since Rorschach’s untimely demise in 1922. Along the way, the author raises some of the unsettled questions about the nature and meaning of task, before closing by highlighting key aspects of the enduring legacy Rorschach left behind.