MAD MUSEUMS.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1599, 3 February 1906, Page 4

MAD MUSEUMS.

A " mad museum " has been collated of specimens of paiming, sculpture, and ii"edlcwork by Professor Marie, chief ot ihe medical stall' of Villejuif Asylum, and most famous of French alienists. It is now thrown open to the public. The idea has been followed by mental specialists all over the world, arid in Italy. Russia, and Germany, similar exhibitions are shortly to be (.pencil. In the stir created by the opening of Professor Marie's " mad museum " (says nn. Knglish paper), it appears likely to be forgotten that credit for the origin'' t ing of the idea for exhi'Miing ihe artistic work of insane patients belongs to the Pethelehem .Royal Hospital. London, where an exhibition of pictures was opened to the public over live years ago. A spceiali.-t in mental diseases is authority for the statement that Professor Maries collection of pictures is inferior to those in tlie possession of the chiefs of several Knjdish mad houses. I here is a mural [tainting of heroic size over the main staircase in one. of the asylums," he said. In it the subject of the Good Samaritan is magnificent!-- (rented. ( have also seen a series ot ' I lie Passions.' which surpass anvthing I have ever seen in the Royal Academy. Several things were notable coneernino- the art of the insane. If tlie patient suffers from melancholy he |>ain(s in dull lines, and this sometimes spoils hi* [f ]„. is maniacal he neglects I uetail. often leaving out the features ! (, l a portrait. _ There have been cases 1o! oictnres being exhibited in public academies which were painted bv pat ients M'onfitied in asvlums/'