Ernst Kris
Encyclopedia
Ernst Kris was an Austrian psychoanalyst and art historian. Kris was the son of Leopold Kris, a lawyer, and Rosa Schick.
Born in Vienna, Austria in 1900, died in New York City, New York in 1957.
Kris not only practiced as a psychoanalyst, he also worked as an art historian and published articles on art history. As a psychoanalyst, he made some important contributions to the psychology of the artist and the psychoanalytic interpretation of works of art and caricature. In the review Imago he published his first psychoanalytic study, "Ein geisteskranker Bildhauer" (A mentally ill sculptor) on Franz Xaver Messerschmidt
.
During the end of the 1910’s and the beginning of the 1920’s, Kris studied at the Department of Art History at the University of Vienna. One of the professors was Emanuael Loewy, a friend of Sigmund Freud
.
In 1927 Kris married Marianne Rie, the daughter of another friend of Freud, Oscar Rie. They had two children.
Kris and his wife both became psychoanalysts and Kris began to publish psychoanalytic papers.
A year later, in 1928, Kris intensified his working relationship with Freud, and he became a member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society
. Between 1930 and 1938, Kris worked as a lecturer at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute.
In 1933, Freud asked Kris to become editor of the Imago magazine.
In 1938, Kris fled to England, after Hitler invaded Austria. In England he became a lecturer and training analyst at the London Institute of Psychoanalysis, until 1940. At the same time, Kris analyzed Nazi radio broadcasts for the BBC
.
In 1940, Kris and his family moved to New York, where he became a professor at the New School for Social Research and in 1943 he began to work as a lecturer at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute and the College of the City of New York
.
In 1945 he co-founded the journal The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child with Anna Freud
and Marie Bonaparte.
In 1946, Kris became a fellow of the American Orthopsychiatric Association and an associate of the American Psychological Association
. He also became a member of the editorial board of the Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association
.
Kris dedicated the last years of his life on the psychoanalytic theory
, ego psychology
, early childhood development and a theory of psychoanalytic technique.
Kris was one of the first developers of the new ego psychology, a school of psychoanalysis that originated in Freud’s ego-superego-id model.
He proposed a new way to enter the unconscious; not via a fast and immediate entrance, but via exploration by the surface. It consists of exposing defense mechanisms and not of exploring the id.
Some of his most influential articles, articles in books or books are:
Born in Vienna, Austria in 1900, died in New York City, New York in 1957.
Kris not only practiced as a psychoanalyst, he also worked as an art historian and published articles on art history. As a psychoanalyst, he made some important contributions to the psychology of the artist and the psychoanalytic interpretation of works of art and caricature. In the review Imago he published his first psychoanalytic study, "Ein geisteskranker Bildhauer" (A mentally ill sculptor) on Franz Xaver Messerschmidt
Franz Xaver Messerschmidt
Franz Xaver Messerschmidt was a German-Austrian sculptor most famous for his "character heads", a collection of busts with faces contorted in extreme facial expressions.-Early years:...
.
During the end of the 1910’s and the beginning of the 1920’s, Kris studied at the Department of Art History at the University of Vienna. One of the professors was Emanuael Loewy, a friend of Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
.
In 1927 Kris married Marianne Rie, the daughter of another friend of Freud, Oscar Rie. They had two children.
Kris and his wife both became psychoanalysts and Kris began to publish psychoanalytic papers.
A year later, in 1928, Kris intensified his working relationship with Freud, and he became a member of the Vienna Psychoanalytic Society
Vienna Psychoanalytic Society
The Vienna Psychoanalytic Society was formerly known as the Wednesday Psychological Society. They commenced their meetings in Freud’s apartment in 1902...
. Between 1930 and 1938, Kris worked as a lecturer at the Vienna Psychoanalytic Institute.
In 1933, Freud asked Kris to become editor of the Imago magazine.
In 1938, Kris fled to England, after Hitler invaded Austria. In England he became a lecturer and training analyst at the London Institute of Psychoanalysis, until 1940. At the same time, Kris analyzed Nazi radio broadcasts for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
.
In 1940, Kris and his family moved to New York, where he became a professor at the New School for Social Research and in 1943 he began to work as a lecturer at the New York Psychoanalytic Institute and the College of the City of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
.
In 1945 he co-founded the journal The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child with Anna Freud
Anna Freud
Anna Freud was the sixth and last child of Sigmund and Martha Freud. Born in Vienna, she followed the path of her father and contributed to the newly born field of psychoanalysis...
and Marie Bonaparte.
In 1946, Kris became a fellow of the American Orthopsychiatric Association and an associate of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
. He also became a member of the editorial board of the Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association
Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association
The Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association is a quarterly peer-reviewed healthcare journal covering all aspects of psychoanalysis and is the official journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association. The editor in chief is Steven T. Levy...
.
Kris dedicated the last years of his life on the psychoanalytic theory
Psychoanalytic theory
Psychoanalytic theory refers to the definition and dynamics of personality development which underlie and guide psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapy. First laid out by Sigmund Freud, psychoanalytic theory has undergone many refinements since his work...
, ego psychology
Ego psychology
Ego psychology is a school of psychoanalysis rooted in Sigmund Freud's structural id-ego-superego model of the mind.An individual interacts with the external world as well as responds to internal forces. Many psychoanalysts use a theoretical construct called the ego to explain how that is done...
, early childhood development and a theory of psychoanalytic technique.
Kris was one of the first developers of the new ego psychology, a school of psychoanalysis that originated in Freud’s ego-superego-id model.
He proposed a new way to enter the unconscious; not via a fast and immediate entrance, but via exploration by the surface. It consists of exposing defense mechanisms and not of exploring the id.
Some of his most influential articles, articles in books or books are:
- Psychoanalytic explorations in art (book)
- Comments on the Formation of Psychic Structure (article[s] in book)
- The Recovery of Childhood Memories in Psychoanalysis (article)
- On Some Vicissitudes of Insight in Psycho-Analysis (article)