VIRUS Band 19, pp. 051-070, 2021/06/10
Schwerpunkt: Objekte als Quellen der Medizingeschichte
Busts are common and space-consuming objects in many historical collections. However, littleresearch has been done on them so far. The example of the bust of the Swiss psychiatristAuguste Forel is intended to show the plurality of this object, which unfolds in the complexityof its functions and interpretations. As a memorial with a strong presence, the bust served atdifferent times as a projection screen for divergent subjective, but also institutional orientation.The powerful performance of the polarizing object sparked emotionalised discussions inthe respective historical context, which continue to this day. The article aims to stimulate theacademicstudy of busts and analogue monuments.
Keywords: History of Medicine, 20th Century, Auguste Forel, History of Psychiatry, Material Culture, Monuments
