The main purpose of this paper is to make a critical review of two of the most relevant works concerning the relationship between mental health and art: Artistry of the mentally ill, by Hans Prinzhorn (1922/1972), and Madness and Art, by Walter Morgenthaler (1921/1992). First, I will summarize both of the texts, and then, I will present their individual analysis. In addition, a critical review of these books is made based on different psychoanalytic theories, which include some crucial subjects regarding the relationship between art and mental illness, such as psychosis, and from other perspectives, outsider art and creativity. This critical review, adds a contribution to the theoretical investigation of this particular subject.
