psyche

Art Description
The term „Psyche“ has Greek origins and means ‘soul’, ‘life’, and ‘spirit’ but it can also be translated as ‘butterfly’.
The term psychiatry was first coined in 1808 and literally means the ‘medical treatment of the soul’. Decades later, the Association of Medical Officers of Asylums and Hospitals for the Insane was founded. From this organization later emerged the Royal College of Psychiatrists, now one of the most prestigious institutions in psychiatry, with a reputation extending far beyond the borders of the UK.
It is not surprising that the College’s coat of arms incorporates four butterflies symbolizing Psyche – alongside other heraldic elements.

The painting “Pysche” depicts a butterfly set against geometric shapes formed by the overlapping of the letters M R C P S Y C and H, created to honor the academic title MRCPsych.
The butterfly also subtly recalls the Rorschach inkblot images, which were developed to explore perception, personality, and underlying mental processes.