Henri Dagonet (1823-1902), Nouveau traité élémentaire et pratique des maladies mentales, suivi de considérations pratiques sur l’administration des asiles d’aliénés (New Elementary and Practical Treatise on Mental Illness) (Paris: Bailliere, 1876). Graphic Arts GAX 2011- in process.
When Henry Dagonet (1823-1902) published his first textbook on mental illness in 1862, he didn’t bother with illustrations. Fourteen years later when a second edition was planned, Dagonet corrected this by contacting photographer J. Valette.
Valette created a series of photoglyptie or woodburytype portraits of Dagonet’s patients at Sainte Anne’s asylum in Paris. The images chosen to be published were meant to represent Dagonet’s classification of nine principle mental disorders: Manie (3 portraits); Lypémanie (4 portraits); Stupidité (5 portraits); Mégalomanie (3 portraits); Folie Impulsive (3 portraits); Démence, grouped with Paralysie Générale (5 portraits); Imbécillité-Idiotie (5 portraits); and Cretinismé (5 portraits).
