The goal of this gallery is to portray a sense of madness by using a collection of paintings produced by ten different artists who were mentally disturbed. These artists used art as a medium to represent their inner suffering, and soothe their sorrow.
Dr Paul Gachet, Vincent van Gogh, 1890, From the collection of: Musée d’Orsay, Paris
Dr. Gachet took care of Vincent during his final moments. His face reflects "the desolate expression of our time," as Van Gogh wrote. Vincent committed suicide shortly after painting this portrait.
No. 62.A.A.A., Yayoi Kusama, 1962, From the collection of: Blanton Museum of Art
Yayoi uses this polka-dot aesthetic to represent her prolonged hallucinations, which are caused by a neurological disease. She currently resides at the Seiwa Hospital for the mentally ill, in Tokyo.
The Torment of Saint Anthony, Michelangelo Buonarroti, c. 1487–88, From the collection of: Kimbell Art Museum
This painting shows the vision of Anthony the Great, in which he is attacked by several demons. Michelangelo suffered from OCD, and he used isolate from society to work on pieces like this one.
The devil is shown as a large male goat, while receiving two boys as an offering. Goya reported hearing voices, and he uses this piece to criticize the superstition of the society he belonged to.
This piece shows a mule's skull, which captures the inner essence of Georgia. The pink Poinsettia represents the female genitalia. She was hospitalized after suffering an intense nervous breakdown.
Self-portrait with portrait of Bernard, 'Les Misérables', Paul Gauguin, 1888, From the collection of: Van Gogh Museum
Paul painted himself in the role of Jean Valjean, the protagonist in Les Misérables. He compared himself to this fictional hero who was a man rejected by society despite his inner power and love.
The snail and the fetus symbolize the slowness of the abortion of Frida's desired son. Out of all the terrible events she suffered during her life, this was by far the most painful and traumatizing.
Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness, Michelangelo Merisi, called Caravaggio, 1604 - 1605, From the collection of: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Caravaggio’s Saint John the Baptist is so realistic that is able to represent his anguish and depression. After accidentally killing a man, the tenebrism of his art slowly started to affect his life.
The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke, Richard Dadd, Around 1855, From the collection of: Tate Britain
The 'fairy-feller' is poised to split a chestnut that will be used on the Queen Mab's carriage. Dadd painted this piece in the Bethlem Hospital, after murdering his father and being declared insane.
The Scream, Edvard Munch, 1910, From the collection of: The Munch Museum, Oslo
Munch felt as though insanity infected his very being. He experienced terrifying nightmares and visions of the macabre. This piece exemplifies the intense hallucinations he suffered in a normal day.
Credits: All media
This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
