Marie Lieb, cell floor decorated with torn strips of cloth, 1894
We have no detailed information about Marie Lieb’s life. We only know that she was hospitalized in the Heidelberg clinic in 1894 diagnosed with “periodic mania”. Only two photographs survive as evidence of her distinctive style. Wilhelm Weygandt, the former assistant of Emil Kraepelin, published them in his book Atlas und Grundriss der Psychiatrie. The caption said: “...Patterns ripped out from bed sheets by a manic woman, spread on the floor of her room.” Marie Lieb grouped cyclic motifs of flowers, stars and circles (as well as writing) into orderly ornaments that resemble the magical patterns of medicine men. It is likely that she created these installations in order to delineate her personal space.
Source : www.artbrut.cz
