Fine Arts: 6. The Healing Power of Art-Therapy

Abstract

Abstract In Europe, since the middle of the 19th century, physicians realized that by plastic creation an improvement of the mental state of many patients can be achieved. Painting, household chores or gardening were meant to eliminate boredom and to take the patients out of isolation. Various activities of today’s art-therapy. At the beginning of the 20th century, various authors showed interest for the paintings and drawings of mental patients. The interest attracted by the psycho-pathological art allowed the organization of international exhibits with the artistic works of the mental patients. The scientific approach of these ways of pathoplastic expression determined the emergence of institutions, studies, periodicals and international reunions concerning this topic.