From Romanticism and Modernism to Psychedelia
Jung Journal July 3, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/19342039.2025.2520188 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that contemporary visionary art descends from Romanticism, modernism, psychoanalysis, analytical psychology, and the art of the mentally ill, with Jung, Prinzhorn, the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism, and Ernst Fuchs as key influences. Tentatively proposes that amplification from analytical psychology can inform interpretation of such art, illustrated through Amanda Sage's Ana-Suromai, which the author reads as engaging archetypal imagery and extending modernist principles toward spirituality and the psyche. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT This article examines contemporary visionary art, tracing its evolution from Romanticism and modernism through significant influences such as psychonalysis, analytical psychology, and the art of the mentally ill. Key foundations laid by C. G. Jung and Hans Prinzhorn are explored to understand visionary creativity, alongside the contributions of the Vienna School of Fantastic Realism and Ernst Fuchs, known as the “father of visionary art.” The study highlights how these elements shaped contemporary psychedelic art, ending with a case study of artist Amanda Sage’s Ana-Suromai (2011). This article tentatively explores how the method of amplification drawn from analytical psychology might inform an interpretive approach to visionary art. In doing so, it considers how Sage’s work engages with archetypal imagery, expanding modernist principles into deeper explorations of spirituality and the psyche.