The origins of art therapy and art education are ancient (Rubin, 1999, p. 87), but we will begin tracing their relationship in the early twentieth century. As Agell (1980) observes, the history of art therapy “is characterized by a rather long gestation period followed by a period of spectacular growth (p.3)”. This growth occurred during the rise of progressive education when the encouragement of self-expression and student-centered teaching methods cultivated an environment in which art therapy grew (Rubin, 1999, p. 96). Rooted in the ideals of Froebel’s kindergarten and the Montessori schools of Italy, the belief that a child’s desires mattered and that their actions were meaningful led to the first practices of art therapy (Rubin, 1999, p. 95).
In addition to its embrace of progressive education, the public was fascinated by art brut or outsider art art made by those with no formal training or by the mentally ill (Cardinal, 1972). Psychologists were especially interested in this artwork believing that it revealed information about the maker’s unconscious mind. Rubin (1999) reveals how the interest garnered by these works made art therapy an especially attractive treatment for “those who have no words” such as mentally ill patients (p. 231). As depth psychology emerged in the 1940’s, psychologists such as Sigmund Freud, Pierre Janet, and Carl Young were interested in the unconscious mind, and they believed that art was one way to tap into it (Rubin, 199, p. 90). Their work influenced Viktor Lowenfeld and Herbert Read who advocated for the inclusion of art therapy in the classroom (Rubin, 1999, p. 96) and D’Amico (1943) praised art therapy as “one of the most significant developments in modern education (p. 9)”. Art therapy and art education had a brief, blissful honeymoon during the early 1940s, but by the end of the decade, the quarreling had begun.
In addition to its embrace of progressive education, the public was fascinated by art brut or outsider art art made by those with no formal training or by the mentally ill (Cardinal, 1972). Psychologists were especially interested in this artwork believing that it revealed information about the maker’s unconscious mind. Rubin (1999) reveals how the interest garnered by these works made art therapy an especially attractive treatment for “those who have no words” such as mentally ill patients (p. 231). As depth psychology emerged in the 1940’s, psychologists such as Sigmund Freud, Pierre Janet, and Carl Young were interested in the unconscious mind, and they believed that art was one way to tap into it (Rubin, 199, p. 90). Their work influenced Viktor Lowenfeld and Herbert Read who advocated for the inclusion of art therapy in the classroom (Rubin, 1999, p. 96) and D’Amico (1943) praised art therapy as “one of the most significant developments in modern education (p. 9)”. Art therapy and art education had a brief, blissful honeymoon during the early 1940s, but by the end of the decade, the quarreling had begun.