[Psychopathology of expression in the German language, countries. Attempt at a summary]

The foundations of the modern psychopathology of pictorial expression were laid more than a half-century ago by a Frenchman, Marcel Réja (1907), à Swiss, Morgenthaler (1921), and a German, Prinzhorn (1922). In the early days, this was a matter of marginal interest for a handful of psychiatrists and it attracted little official attention. Since the last war however, and especially since the establishment of the S.I.P.E., this special branch of psychopathology has won the recognition to which it is entitled. In French-speaking and other Latin language countries, Volmat's book (1956) provided a powerful stimulus to research. Numerous studies were also undertaken in German-speaking countries. A Swiss psychiatrist, living in a polyglot country, surrounded by some of the world's major linguistic zones, is especially well situated to follow the evolution of ideas. He soon comes to realize that these language areas are sharply separated by very real barriers. In the past few years, the lack of communication between French and German-speaking investigators has become increasingly apparent. Within the limits of a single report, it is impossible to cover all of the work that has been published in German since the time of Prinzhorn. The author has restricted himself to a selection of studies which he personally regards as important. He has sought to retrace and bring into view a line of thought which has proved to be productive and which has not received the attention it deserves in the French-language literature.