Psychoanalysis and Modernism: A deeper look (Art since 1900s)

Pragati Gunasekar
Aug 6, 2023
6 min read

Updated: Sep 3, 2023

Psychoanalysis, initially conceived by Sigmund Freud, emerged as a novel lens to interpret human motivations and behaviors. Its impact extended far beyond psychology, notably influencing the realm of visual arts, particularly the modernist movement. In this exploration, we unravel the intertwining of psychoanalysis with modernism and its ongoing relevance as an interpretative tool in art criticism.

Sigmund Freud at his desk in his Vienna home. Photo via Getty Images.

Psychoanalysis and Modernism: A Historical Crossroad

The modernist era, characterized by rapid societal and industrial transformations, was also the birth era of psychoanalysis. Both emerged from a common context, diverging from established norms, and propelling into the unexplored. A result of this influence is the Surrealist movement, a significant facet of modernism, profoundly driven by psychoanalytic concepts like dream states and the unconscious.

Modern art movement is defined as art created between the 1860s and the 1970s. Art has always reflected the society and culture in which we live. It has a powerful emotional impact on people; it can educate them and break down cultural, social, and economic barriers. Each image tells a story and exemplifies the artist’s passion. With each wave of social change, the population’s overwhelming emotions were channeled into a visual form of art. Significant changes occurred at the turn of the twentieth century in both world affairs and art. The artists experimented with new and fresh ideas while putting aside traditions.

Starry night by Vincent Van Gogh_sotheys.com

Psychoanalysis as an Interpretative Tool

The potency of psychoanalysis extends beyond its historical influence, providing a framework to interpret modernist art. It introduces interpretative possibilities like deciphering symbolic representations, exploring unconscious motivations, and emphasizing childhood experiences' significance. For instance, Salvador Dali's painting "The Persistence of Memory," with its melting clocks, exemplifies the use of symbolic representation, possibly pointing to a fluid perception of time in the unconscious mind.

Salvador Dali's painting "The Persistence of Memory"

The Song of Love by Giorgio de Chirico_wikipedia.org

Interpretation of art using psychoanalysis

Psychoanalysis provides several valuable insights that can be applied to the understanding and interpretation of art:

Unconscious Motivations: Psychoanalysis posits that much of human behavior and creativity is driven by unconscious motivations. Applying this to art, it allows us to explore and understand the deeper, often hidden motivations behind artistic creation and interpretation.
Symbolism: Freud's work on dream analysis introduced the idea of symbolic representation, where objects or events can represent hidden desires or fears. This approach can be applied to art, allowing for a deeper understanding of symbolism within artistic works.
Emotional Catharsis: Art, like dreams in Freudian theory, can be a way for artists to express and cope with complex emotions or traumatic experiences. Psychoanalytic criticism can help explore these emotional layers within art.
Psychic Conflict: Psychoanalysis emphasizes the role of inner conflict, particularly between the id (instinctual desires), ego (rational decision-making), and superego (moral conscience). Art can be seen as a manifestation of these inner conflicts, providing insights into the artist's psyche.
Sexuality and Desire: Freud's theories placed a significant emphasis on sexual desire as a driving force of human behavior. In the context of art, this can lead to explorations of themes of desire, repression, and sexuality.
Childhood Influence: Freud believed that early childhood experiences significantly shape an individual's psyche. Artists often draw upon personal experiences in their work, so psychoanalytic theory can provide a framework for understanding how these early influences manifest in their art.
Transference and Countertransference: These psychoanalytic concepts can provide insights into the relationship between the viewer and the artwork. Transference (projecting feelings onto another) and countertransference (reactions based on the projections of others) can offer a unique perspective on the emotional reactions evoked by art.

By offering these and many other insights, psychoanalysis can enrich our understanding and interpretation of art, allowing us to see beyond the surface to the underlying psychological processes and meanings.

Inference made of Leonardo Da Vinci 's life based on his artworks

Sigmund Freud's exploration of Leonardo da Vinci is a notable attempt to combine his psychoanalytic theories with art history. In his 1910 essay, "Leonardo da Vinci and a Memory of His Childhood" ("Eine Kindheitserinnerung des Leonardo da Vinci"), Freud undertook a psychoanalytic examination of Leonardo's life based on the artist's paintings, writings, and existing biographical information. Some of the observations were:

he Vulture Memory: Freud starts with an analysis of a memory Leonardo recounted in one of his notebooks, where he believed that, as an infant, a vulture descended upon him, briefly pressing its tail to his lips. Freud interpreted this as a repressed memory of suckling at his mother's breast, linking the 'vulture's tail' to a symbolic representation of his mother's nipple. He connects this to Leonardo's alleged homosexuality and his identification with the mother figure.
Sublimation of Sexual Energy: Freud suggested that Leonardo sublimated his homosexual desires into an obsessive pursuit of knowledge and art. He argued that this sublimation was why Leonardo often started projects but left many unfinished. His sexual energy was channeled into his intellectual and artistic pursuits.
The Mona Lisa Smile: Freud believed that the enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa was reminiscent of Leonardo's mother. He saw the painting as Leonardo's unconscious attempt to capture his mother's smile, a symbol of the love and nurturing he received as a child.

Scientific Curiosity: Freud saw Leonardo's relentless scientific curiosity as another manifestation of sublimated sexual energy. His incessant need to understand the human body, nature, and the world around him was, in Freud's view, a redirected form of his innate drives.

Many art historians and scholars have criticized Freud's interpretations as overly speculative and not firmly grounded in historical or biographical fact. Despite these criticisms, Freud's study of Leonardo stands as an early and ambitious effort to meld psychoanalytic theory with art interpretation.

Psychoanalysis Across Eras: Prewar and Postwar Art

The relevance of psychoanalysis becomes particularly compelling when analyzing art from the prewar and postwar eras. These periods, marked by societal upheavals and collective trauma, found expressions in art, reflecting the period's collective psyche. For example, post-war abstract expressionism, as seen in Jackson Pollock's work, can be viewed as an expression of the era's tumultuous emotional state.

"Guernica" is a painting by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, created in 1937. To read and interpret this artwork, it's essential to consider its visual elements, historical context, and symbolism behind the figures and objects in the scene Click Here.

"Guernica" is a painting by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso

Psychoanalysis: An Acknowledgment of Limitations

Psychoanalysis, while providing a deep and nuanced approach to understanding human behavior, thought processes, and art, does have some limitations. Here are a few to consider:

Subjectivity: Psychoanalysis largely relies on subjective interpretations. What one analyst interprets might be very different from another, making it difficult to establish a single, objective truth. The same applies when psychoanalyzing art.
Overemphasis on the Unconscious: Psychoanalysis places a heavy focus on unconscious motivations and desires. While this provides valuable insights, it can potentially disregard conscious thought processes and decisions, which are also crucial in shaping behaviors and artistic creations.
Limited Scope: Psychoanalytic theory primarily stems from the work of Sigmund Freud and a few of his contemporaries. While these theories have been built upon and modified over time, the framework primarily reflects a Western, largely Eurocentric perspective, potentially limiting its applicability across diverse cultures and contexts.
Historical Criticism: Some aspects of Freud's theories, such as the psychosexual stages of development, have received significant criticism and are seen as outdated or overly simplistic. This can limit the perceived credibility of a psychoanalytic approach.
Inaccessibility: Psychoanalytic concepts can be complex and difficult for a non-specialist audience to grasp. This can make it a challenging approach to apply broadly.
Focus on the Individual: Psychoanalysis tends to emphasize individual psychological processes, which can overlook wider societal, cultural, or structural factors that influence behavior and artistic expression.

Despite these limitations, psychoanalysis can offer valuable insights into the psychological underpinnings of artistic creation and interpretation.

Conclusion: A Dual Perspective

Applying a dual approach—historical and theoretical—enhances our understanding of the role of psychoanalysis in modernist art. As we navigate the theoretical intricacies, we inch closer to psychoanalytic truths, making the exploration of psychoanalysis in modernist art a continually rewarding journey. Despite its complexities and potential limitations, psychoanalysis unravels layers of understanding, paving the way for a more profound appreciation of art.

About the Artist

Pragati is a New York-based artrepreneur, artist, painter, and educator. She was the Brand Educator for Winsor and Newton in the year 2021. She is further honing her skills through a Master's program at the prestigious New York Academy of Art. Pragati contributes significantly to the art community.