Description

For the first time in their history, the Sainte-Anne Hospital Museum of Art and History (MAHHSA) in Paris and the Prinzhorn Collection at Heidelberg University Hospital are joining forces. A single theme has been chosen to bring together the works from these two collections: humour. Wit, jokes and caricatures are indeed common to both collections. The aim is to show that ‘madness’ does not necessarily go hand in hand with ‘drama’, and that some artists who have suffered from mental illness can deal with nonsense and derision with talent, detachment and humour.

For the first time, the Sainte-Anne Hospital Museum of Art and History (MAHHSA) in Paris and the Prinzhorn Collection at Heidelberg University Hospital are collaborating. To bring together the works from both collections, a single theme has been chosen: humour. Wit, jokes and caricatures are indeed common features in both collections. The aim is to show that ‘madness’ does not necessarily go hand in hand with ‘drama’ and that some artists who were ill were able to deal with absurdity and mockery with talent, detachment and wit.