[The psychoanalyst and the development of mental representations]

After a careful reading of the recent book by Daniel Stern on a theory of how the intersubjective world begins for a baby, we offer a careful analysis of the cognitive theories regarding the genesis of mental images. Amodal sensoriality and vitality affects stand at the roots of interactivity and take into account memories. The baby will soon be using a meta-theory of the mental functioning of its partners. The author agrees with Daniel Stern in this progression, which seems to question psychoanalytical theory on the genesis of objects, but this work shows that resorting to the concept of fantasy interaction is unavoidable.