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Thomas Roske discusses August Natterer's Visionary Art - Precursor of Surrealism

N o t e s a n d r e f e r e n c e s I would like to thank Peter Cross for helping me with the translation of this text.

1. Hans Prinzhorn, Artistry of the Mentally III. A Contribution to the Psychology and Psychopathology of Configuration, transl. by Eric von Brockdorff ( 1 9 7 2 | , Reprint, Vienna, N e w York:

Springer, 1 9 9 5 , p.

1 7 1 . 1 have not fully followed the wording of this not very well translated edition.

2. The biographical information follows:

Inge Jadi, 'Die zwei Leben des August Natterer', in: Inge Jadi, Bettina Brand-Claussen (Eds.), August Natterer.

Die Beweiskraft der Bilder. Leben und Werk.

Deutungen, Heidelberg:

Wunderhorn, 2 0 0 1 , p.

15-50.

In his pioneering book

1 9 3 3 ) i n t r o d u c e d ten ' s c h i z o p h r e n i c m a s t e r s ' a t l e n g t h . O n e of these d i s c o v e r i e s w a s the e l e c t r i c i a n A u g u s t N a t t e r e r ( 1 8 5 8 - 1 9 3 3 ) w h o s e p i c t o r i a l r e c o r d s of a v i s i o n e s p e c i a l l y f a s c i n a t e d P r i n z h o r n . For him N a t t e r e r ' s d r a w i n g s w e r e the o u t s t a n d i n g e x a m p l e of w h a t c o u l d b e c a l l e d ' i n s a n e ' in a n a r t w o r k .

E s p e c i a l l y a b o u t The Miracle Shepherd, he w r o t e : ' P e r h a p s in n o o t h e r p i c t u r e d o w e c o n f r o n t the s p e c i f i c a l l y s c h i z o p h r e n i c e m o t i o n as helplessly...' H e e x p l a i n s this w i t h the ' q u a l i t y of strangeness a n d the u n c a n n y ' w h i c h he e x p e r i e n c e d a n d w h i c h ' a g i t a t e s a n d f a s c i n a t e s us so m u c h ' . A n d he r a t i o n a l i s e s : 'Both means ... w h i c h o f f e r e d us the p o s s i b i l i t y of e n t e r i n g into s c h i z o p h r e n i c c o n c e p t u a l c o m p l e x e s a r e b l o c k e d , the r a t i o n a l as w e l l as the aesthetic.'(1)

P r i n z h o r n ' s b o o k m a d e A u g u s t N a t t e r e r f a m o u s (if u n d e r the p s e u d o n y m ' A u g u s t N e t e r ' ) . His w o r k s have b e e n r e p r o d u c e d m o r e often t h a n those of a n y o t h e r a r t i s t in t h e H e i d e l b e r g P r i n z h o r n

C o l l e c t i o n , for m a n y they even stand for the c o l l e c t i o n . W e s h a r e P r i n z h o r n ' s a p p r e c i a t i o n of N a t t e r e r ' s pictures, but p e r h a p s for d i f f e r e n t reasons. W e d o not share the a u t h o r ' s e x p e r i e n c e of the u n c a n n y a n d aesthetic i n a c c e s s i b i l i t y . It is w o r t h a s k i n g w h y - w h a t

has c h a n g e d in the a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s the w o r k s of this o u t s i d e r artist?

W e s h o u l d b e g i n b y l o o k i n g at the m a n a n d his w o r k m o r e closely. A u g u s t N a t t e r e r , b o r n n e a r R a v e n s b u r g in 1 8 6 8 , g r e w up in Stuttgart a n d b e c a m e a n e l e c t r i c i a n there.(2) A f t e r s e r v i n g in the a r m y for a y e a r he c o n t i n u e d his t r a i n i n g in m e c h a n i c s in a n d a r o u n d his h o m e t o w n , then w o r k e d in d i f f e r e n t p l a c e s a b r o a d for a w h i l e , in S w i t z e r l a n d , France a n d the U S A . Returning to G e r m a n y in 1 8 9 3 , he m o v e d a r o u n d until in 1 8 9 6 he f i n a l l y settled in W u e r z b u r g , w h e n he m a r r i e d a n d started his o w n business. He a c q u i r e d a h i g h p r o f e s s i o n a l s t a n d i n g a n d e s t a b l i s h e d a n i m p o r t a n t r e l a t i o n s h i p to the University of the city, p r o d u c i n g s p e c i a l i n s t r u m e n t s a n d m a c h i n e s for professors like W i l h e l m R o e n t g e n , the d i s c o v e r e r of the X-Rays. W h e n in 1 9 0 2 the University e m p l o y e d their o w n t e c h n i c i a n , N a t t e r e r s u f f e r e d , not o n l y f i n a n c i a l l y . His search for p r o f e s s i o n a l a l t e r n a t i v e s in the f o l l o w i n g y e a r s all f a i l e d a n d he b e c a m e s l o w l y d e s p e r a t e . In 1 9 0 7 he started w o r k i n g o b s e s s i v e l y at his o w n i n v e n t i o n s a n d patents. He b e c a m e a g i t a t e d , c o u l d n ' t s l e e p a n y m o r e a n d felt i n c r e a s i n g l y e x h a u s t e d . U n a b l e to pursue his business he w e n t to Stuttgart for a c h a n g e a n d v i s i t e d his f a m i l y . But his restlessness persisted, c o m b i n e d w i t h h y p o c h o n d r i a c t e n d e n c i e s a n d a p o c a l y p t i c fears. In O c t o b e r , after a n Originalveröffentlichung in: Raw vision 51 (2005), S. 28-33

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Photoportrait from Natterer's medical file.

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The Miracle Shepherd, 1 9 1 1 / 1 7 , pencil and watercolour,

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Franz Karl Buhler, The Strangling Angel, between 1 9 0 9 and 1 9 1 6 , oil crayon on paper, 4 1 . 3 x 3 0 . 7 cm, Prinzhorn Collection, Heidelberg.

attempt to o p e n his arteries, he w a s sectioned to the psychiatric hospital in Rottenmunster. In 1 9 0 9 , for f i n a n c i a l reasons, he w a s m o v e d to the W e i s s e n a u asylum. O n his insistence he w a s transferred b a c k to Rottenmunster in 1 9 1 7 w h e r e he stayed until his death in 1 9 3 3 .

A t the b e g i n n i n g of his time in the asylum N a t t e r e r w a s p r e o c c u p i e d w i t h c r i p p l i n g g u i l t feelings. He b e l i e v e d he h a d c o m m i t t e d a ' d e a d l y sin' w i t h a prostitute in 1 9 0 6 (Natterer w a s m a r r i e d since

1 8 9 6 but ' s p a r e d ' his f r a g i l e w i f e sexually). Because of this, 'a flash of l i g h t n i n g struck his h e a d , he w a s cast into hell.' He felt responsible for e a r t h q u a k e s a n d floods, supposed h a r b i n g e r s of the end of the w o r l d , a n d suffered terribly from p a i n f u l sensations. Later, f r o m 1 9 1 2 , N a t t e r e r d e v e l o p e d d e l u s i o n s of g r a n d e u r . He b e l i e v e d he h a d d i s c o v e r e d that he w a s the g r e a t - g r a n d s o n of N a p o l e o n I a n d he c l a i m e d the throne of France, as e m p e r o r A o u t I., IV N a p o l e o n . He b e l i e v e d that c o n t e m p o r a r y p o l i t i c a l events w e r e h a p p e n i n g because of him; he s a w the First W o r l d W a r as a c a m p a i g n to free him from his imprisonment.

O n l y later in his life d i d his o l d delusions a b o u t b e i n g chosen to suffer for the w o r l d return for a few years.

Beside his d e l u s i o n a l identity Natterer lived the quite n o r m a l life of a n industrious a n d skillful a s y l u m i n m a t e . He w o r k e d in the l o c k s m i t h ' s

w o r k s h o p , b e c a m e a specialist in r e p a i r i n g clocks, sometimes even w i t h r e p l a c e m e n t parts he m a d e himself, a n d he invented helpful tools, for e x a m p l e a s p e c i a l w o o d p l a n e . From 1 9 1 1 he w o r k e d o n d r a w i n g s . Some s h o w b e l o v e d w o m e n w h o m he d e c l a r e d to be his wives, some butterflies w h i c h he collected. In some he d e v e l o p e d his o w n c o a t of arms, some a r e designs for inventions, for e x a m p l e w e a p o n s w h i c h should be used a g a i n s t the G e r m a n s in the w a r . The most o r i g i n a l of his d r a w i n g s a r e the ones d e v o t e d to the images he h a d seen in a vision. He r e p e a t e d l y r e p o r t e d that this ' a p p a r i t i o n ' h a p p e n e d on the 1st of A p r i l 1 9 0 7 at n o o n a b o v e the military b a r r a c k s in Stuttgart: ' A t first I s a w a spot in the c l o u d , v e r y near by - the clouds all stood still - then the w h i t e spot w i t h d r e w a n d r e m a i n e d in the sky the w h o l e time, like a b o a r d . O n this b o a r d , screen or stage, pictures f o l l o w e d one another like l i g h t n i n g , m a y b e 1 0 , 0 0 0 in half an hour, so that I c o u l d a b s o r b the most i m p o r t a n t only with the greatest attention. The Lord himself a p p e a r e d , the w i t c h w h o c r e a t e d the w o r l d - in b e t w e e n there w e r e w o r l d l y scenes: w a r pictures, parts of the earth, monuments, battle scenes from the W a r s of Liberation, palaces, marvellous palaces, in short the beauties of the w h o l e w o r l d - but all of these in supernatural pictures. They w e r e at least 2 0 meters high, could be seen clearly a n d w e r e almost colourless,

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Witch's Head • Landscape, before 1 9 2 0 , pencil, watercolour and pen, 2 5 . 9 x 3 4 . 2 cm, Prinzhorn Collection, Heidelberg.

3. Natterer cited after Prinzhorn 1995 (see F n . l ) , p . 1 5 9 - 1 6 0 .

4. Natterer cited after Jadi 2 0 0 1 (see Fn.2), p . 5 0 .

5. For this see Bettina Brand-Claussen, 'The Witch's Head Landscape: A Pictorial Illusion from the Prinzhorn Collection', in: American imago, vol. 5 8 N o . 1, Spring 2 0 0 1 , p. 4 0 7 - 4 4 3 .

6. Natterer cited after Prinzhorn 1 9 9 5 (see F n . l ) , p. 1 6 9 - 1 7 0 .

7. Prinzhorn 1995 (see F n . l ) , p . 1 7 0 - 1 7 1 .

8. Translated after:

Comte de Lautreamont, Die Cesange des Maldoror, transl. from the French by Re Soupault, Munic:

Heyne, 1 9 7 6 , p. 173.

like p h o t o g r a p h s ; some w e r e slightly c o l o u r e d . They w e r e l i v i n g figures w h i c h m o v e d . A t first I t h o u g h t that they w e r e not r e a l l y a l i v e ; then they w e r e t r a n s c e n d e d w i t h ecstasy, the ecstasy w a s b r e a t h e d into them.

Finally it w a s like a m o v i e . The m e a n i n g b e c a m e i m m e d i a t e l y c l e a r o n first sight, even if o n e b e c a m e c o n s c i o u s of the d e t a i l s o n l y later w h i l e d r a w i n g them. The w h o l e t h i n g w a s v e r y e x c i t i n g a n d e e r i e . '

T y p i c a l l y for a v i s i o n , not o n l y the m e a n i n g of the i m a g e s w a s c l e a r to N a t t e r e r but a l s o the s p e c i a l m e a n i n g f o r h i m : ' T h e p i c t u r e s w e r e m a n i f e s t a t i o n s of the last j u d g e m e n t . C h r i s t c o u l d not c o m p l e t e the r e d e m p t i o n b e c a u s e the Jews c r u c i f i e d him t o o s o o n . C h r i s t s a i d at the M o u n t of O l i v e s that he h a d s h i v e r e d u n d e r the pictures w h i c h a p p e a r e d there. These a r e pictures, in other w o r d s , like those of w h i c h C h r i s t s p o k e . They a r e r e v e a l e d to me by G o d for the c o m p l e t i o n of the r e d e m p t i o n .' ( 3 )

U n d o u b t e d l y , in d e p i c t i n g these i m a g e s , N a t t e r e r , G o d ' s e l e c t e d , w a s c a r r y i n g out a mission.

A t the s a m e time they s e r v e d him as r e c o n s t r u c t i o n s o f p a r t s of the ' a p p a r i t i o n ' a n d a l l o w e d him 'to e x p l o r e their m e a n i n g in a l o g i c a l w a y ' .( 4 ) This is e s p e c i a l l y c l e a r in the Skirt Transformations d r a w i n g . H e r e w i t h the skill a n d p a t i e n c e o f a t e c h n i c a l d r a u g h t s m a n N a t t e r e r c o p i e d the d i f f e r e n t phases in the m o v e m e n t of the skirt of the a f o r e m e n t i o n e d ' w i t c h w h o c r e a t e d the w o r l d ' . These lines, d e p i c t i n g the m o v e m e n t of the

f a b r i c , a r e m o r e p r e c i s e a n d fine t h a n a n y of his t e c h n i c a l d r a w i n g s . P r o b a b l y N a t t e r e r w a n t e d to p r o v e his p o s i t i o n as a ' W o r l d - U n i v e r s i t y - M e c h a n i c ' in d e p i c t i n g t r a n s c e n d e n t a l e v e n t s w i t h a n a l m o s t ' s u p e r n a t u r a l ' d i l i g e n c e . In the c a s e of the Witch's Head, the w i t n e s s e d c h a n g i n g of the sky i m a g e s is i m i t a t e d w i t h the e f f e c t o f a t r a n s p a r e n c y , a f o r e r u n n e r of the c i n e m a w h i c h w a s p o p u l a r at the b e g i n n i n g of the c e n t u r y . The p i c t u r e is p a i n t e d o n b o t h sides in translucent p a i n t so that if lit f r o m b e h i n d the h e a d - m e a d o w o p e n s into a l a k e w i t h w a t e r plants a n d fish.(5)

The Miracle Shepherd w a s o b v i o u s l y of s p e c i a l i m p o r t a n c e for N a t t e r e r . P r i n z h o r n r e p o r t s the e x p l a n a t i o n of the p i c t u r e the p a t i e n t h a d g i v e n to him in 1 9 1 9 w h i c h reveals that it w a s m e a n t as a k i n d of self p o r t r a i t b u i l t o u t of s y m b o l s , i n c l u d i n g the t r a u m a t i s i n g e n c o u n t e r w i t h the prostitute: ' A t first a c o b r a w a s in the air, i r i d e s c e n t g r e e n a n d blue. A n d then c a m e the f o o t ( a l o n g the snake). Then the other f o o t c a m e . It w a s m a d e f r o m a t u r n i p . . . O n this s e c o n d f o o t a p p e a r e d the f a c e of my f a t h e r - i n - l a w in W . : the w o r l d m i r a c l e . The f o r e h e a d w a s c r e a s e d - a n d the seasons of the y e a r c a m e f r o m it. Then it b e c a m e a tree. The b a r k o f the tree w a s b r o k e n off in front so that the g a p f o r m e d the mouth of the f a c e . The b r a n c h e s of the tree f o r m e d the h a i r . Then f e m a l e g e n i t a l s a p p e a r e d b e t w e e n the leg a n d the foot, these

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Witch's Head - Landscape (verso, lit from behind).

sever the m a n ' s foot, i.e. sin c o m e s f r o m w o m a n a n d causes the fall of m a n . O n e f o o t is p r o p p e d a g a i n s t the sky, that m e a n s the fall into hell... Then c a m e a Jew, a s h e p h e r d w h o h a d a sheepskin w r a p p e d a r o u n d h i m . . . I a m the s h e p h e r d - the G o o d S h e p h e r d - G o d! ' | 6 )

It is clear to us n o w w h a t P r i n z h o r n m e a n t w h e n he stated that the r a t i o n a l w a y of e n t e r i n g into this d r a w i n g w a s ' b l o c k e d ' . W i t h o u t N a t t e r e r ' s e x p l a n a t i o n , the m e a n i n g of parts of the d r a w i n g is h a r d to u n d e r s t a n d as it does not f o l l o w the c o m m o n cultural t r a d i t i o n . But even w i t h N a t t e r e r ' s e x p l a n a t i o n , the m e a n i n g of the w h o l e , of the reason for the parts c o m i n g together, r e m a i n s o b s c u r e . W h a t P r i n z h o r n meant w i t h his 'aesthetic f a i l u r e ' is e x p l a i n e d w h e n he describes the d r a w i n g thus: 'Unless w e a r e mistaken, the c h a r a c t e r i s t i c q u a l i t y lies in the o r g a n i c forms resulting f r o m the p a r t i a l d r a w i n g s of o r g a n s , w h i c h h o w e v e r a r e n o t c e n t r e d a n y w h e r e . The f a k e o r g a n i s m s a r e neatly d r a w n to c o m p l e t i o n a n d closed o n all sides', but w i t h a 'pointless l o g i c w h i c h leads a r a t i o n a l m a n into a n endless maze.'(7) Prinzhorn's aesthetic f a i l u r e is a f a i l u r e of e m p a t h y . In a n i m a g e he is o b v i o u s l y l o o k i n g for a n i d e n t i f y i n g encounter w i t h a d o m i n a t i n g (organic) s h a p e . As this is d e n i e d , here he e x p e r i e n c e s a h a r d l y t o l e r a b l e frustration. The reflex to repulse is b a l a n c e d b y a f a s c i n a t i o n , the result is a n e x p e r i e n c e of the uncanny.

W h y d o n ' t w e share P r i n z h o r n ' s e x p e r i e n c e of the u n c a n n y here? Because since D a d a a n d S u r r e a l i s m , w e a r e used to m a k i n g sense of this k i n d of senselessness in w o r k s of a r t . In fact, P r i n z h o r n ' s d e s c r i p t i o n p a r a l l e l s the f a m o u s p h r a s e f r o m the Songs of Maldoror ( 1 8 6 9 ) b y the C o m t e d e L a u t r e a m o n t (Isidor Ducasse), in w h i c h the p o e t c o m p a r e s the b e a u t y of a y o u n g m a n to ' t h e u n e x p e c t e d e n c o u n t e r of a s e w i n g m a c h i n e a n d a n u m b r e l l a o n a d i s s e c t i n g table'.(8) The Surrealists used this as a m o d e l for their artistic practice.(9) It fits r e m a r k a b l y w e l l w i t h p a i n t i n g s by M a x Ernst, like Der Sturz der Engel ('The Fall of the A n g e l s ' ) of 1 9 2 3 , t o d a y in the S p r e n g e l M u s e u m in Hannover.(10) H e r e w e a l s o f i n d , d i l i g e n t l y o u t l i n e d but i n c o m p l e t e , b o d i e s a n d b o d y parts a n d w e miss - in the case of the f e m a l e b o d y at least - a n i n t e g r a t i o n into a consistent f i g u r e . A c t u a l l y Ernst w a s the o n e w h o took P r i n z h o r n ' s b o o k to Paris in 1 9 2 2 , b r i n g i n g it to the a t t e n t i o n of his French artist f r i e n d s there. O v e r all he w a s o b v i o u s l y h i m s e l f i n f l u e n c e d b y N a t t e r e r ' s d r a w i n g s .( 1 1 ) But m o r e i m p o r t a n t l y , Ernst c o u l d c h o o s e the w o r k s of this p s y c h i a t r i c p a t i e n t as a m o d e l o n l y o n the basis of a n e w i d e a of art, w h i c h w a s e m b o d i e d in S u r r e a l i s m (with the I t a l i a n Pittura Metafisica as a k i n d of p r e c u r s o r ) . His p a i n t i n g s w e r e a p i c t o r i a l e q u i v a l e n t of the a u t o m a t i c p o e m s w h i c h A n d r e Breton a n d his friends h a d d e v e l o p e d f r o m

9. See for example Andre Breton, Entretiens

1913-1952 (1952), Paris: Gallimard, 1 9 6 9 , p. 4 9 - I thank Marielene Weber for having pointed out this reference to me.

10. O i l on Canvas, 128 x 128 cm.

11. See Stefanie Poley, 'Das Vorbild des Verriickten. Kunst in Deutschland zwischen 1 9 1 0 und 1 9 4 5 ' , in Otto Benkert, Peter Gorsen (Eds.), Von Chaos und Ordnung der Seele. Ein interdisziplinarer Dialog uber Psychiatrie und moderne Kunst, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 1 9 9 0 , p. 55-90, here p. 7 6 - 8 0 ; see also Marielene Weber, 'August Natterer, ein schizophrener Kunstler.

Zur Rezeption', in:

Jadi/Brand-Claussen 2 0 0 1 , op. cit., p. 341- 3 6 6 , here p. 3 6 2 .

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1 9 1 9 - the y e a r in w h i c h P r i n z h o r n s t a r t e d to put t o g e t h e r the H e i d e l b e r g c o l l e c t i o n a n d to w o r k o n his b o o k .

The m a i n artistic m o d e l for P r i n z h o r n , w h o h a d s t u d i e d in M u n i c h f r o m 1 9 0 6 to 1 9 0 9 w h e n the r a d i a n c e of Jugendstil w a s b e g i n n i n g to f a d e , w a s G e r m a n Expressionism.(12) The ' s c h i z o p h r e n i c master' he f a v o u r e d most a m o n g the ten he i n t r o d u c e d in his b o o k w a s F r a n z Karl Biihler (alias F r a n z Pohl) w h o s e c o l o u r e d p e n c i l d r a w i n g s he c o m p a r e d to V i n c e n t v a n G o g h . A n d if he m e n t i o n s c o n t e m p o r a r y artists in his b o o k , they a r e mostly m e m b e r s of the Blue Rider or B r u e c k e g r o u p . But o b v i o u s l y he sensed the c o m i n g of s o m e t h i n g new. This s h o w s in his r e a c t i o n to A u g u s t N a t t e r e r ' s d r a w i n g s . F a s c i n a t e d by them, but u n a b l e to e x p l a i n w h y , he t h o u g h t it w a s the illness of the p a t i e n t he c o u l d e x p e r i e n c e t h r o u g h these w o r k s . L o o k i n g b a c k f r o m t o d a y , it b e c o m e s c l e a r that P r i n z h o r n in The Miracle Shepherd u n c a n n i l y d i s c o v e r e d the p o s s i b i l i t y of a n e w aesthetic that a l r e a d y c o n c e r n e d c o n t e m p o r a r y artists in France.

A u g u s t N a t t e r e r - a Surrealist avant la lettre.

H o w c a n this be e x p l a i n e d ? In his d r a w i n g s the e l e c t r i c i a n t r i e d to e n v i s a g e a n e x t r a o r d i n a r y e x p e r i e n c e w h i c h h a d o v e r w h e l m e d him c o m p l e t e l y . He d i d n ' t r e a l i s e that the m e a n i n g he g a v e to his ' a p p a r i t i o n ' - if not the v i s i o n itself - w a s a r e f l e c t i o n of d e e p l y p e r s o n a l c o m p l e x e s . This e x t e r n a l i s a t i o n of the inner w a s h e l p e d b y the fact that N a t t e r e r w a s not

used to the e x p r e s s i v e m o d e of the a r t of his t i m e , but built u p his d r a w i n g s using the a n a l y t i c a l m o d e l he h a d l e a r n e d as a t e c h n i c a l d r a u g h t s m a n , s h o w i n g that he c o u l d ' m a s t e r ' his v i s i o n . T h e r e f o r e , i n s t e a d of a i m i n g to express the t h o u g h t s that h a u n t e d h i m , he r e c o n s t r u c t e d the i m a g e s of his v i s i o n as s o m e t h i n g f o r e i g n , ' s u p e r n a t u r a l ' , as a c c u r a t e l y as a n y o t h e r o p t i c a l p h e n o m e n o n he d r e w p r o f e s s i o n a l l y . D i s s o c i a t i o n , f r a g m e n t a t i o n a n d i n c o h e r e n c e in his pictures w e r e u n c o n s c i o u s strategies to h i d e the true m e a n i n g of the c o n n e c t e d i d e a s to himself - to us they a r e the v e r y m o m e n t s that put us o n the track o f N a t t e r e r ' s p r o b l e m a t i c r e l a t i o n s h i p to the w o r l d . A n d this, a l e a d i n g of s p e c t a t o r to a r e a l i t y b e h i n d the i m a g e , w a s e x a c t l y the p u r p o s e o f the Surrealist a e s t h e t i c . Breton a n d his f r i e n d s no l o n g e r trusted the o l d i d e a of e x p r e s s i o n in art. Instead of r e l y i n g o n the aesthetic of e x p r e s s i o n i s m , they c o n s c i o u s l y c o l l i d e d c o m m o n w a y s of r e p r e s e n t i n g the w o r l d in their p o e m s a n d pictures, to p r o v o k e the p r e s e n t i m e n t of m e a n i n g latent in the i m a g e s . W i t h his c r e a t i v e w a y of c o p i n g w i t h a p e r s o n a l c o l l a p s e o f m e a n i n g N a t t e r e r h a d f o r e s h a d o w e d the w a y the Surrealists a n s w e r e d the g e n e r a l c o l l a p s e o f m e a n i n g in E u r o p e a n society after the First W o r l d W a r .

Thomas Roske is a writer and curator based in Frankfurt/Main and London. He has published on the subjects of German Expression, art and homosexuality and Outsider Art. He has been director of the Prinzhorn Collection in Heidelberg, Germany since November 2 0 0 2 .

a b o v e

Skirt Transformations, 191 1 / 1 9 1 3 , pencil, each 16.1 x 10.1 cm, Prinzhorn Collection, Heidelberg.

opposite p a g e Witch (Test Sketch), Witch with eagle, crocodile, and cornucopia, ca.

1 9 1 1 / 1 3 , pencil on writing paper, paper partly glued on, 19.9 x 16.5 cm, Prinzhorn Collection, Heidelberg.

12. See Bettina Brand- Claussen, Inge Jadi (Eds ), Vision una1

Revision einer Entdeckung, exhibition catalogue, Sammlung Prinzhorn, Heidelberg, 2 0 0 1 .

R V / 5 1 « 3 3