Examining Lowenfeld's Theories and His Contributions to the Field of Art Therapy

Abstract

Viktor Lowenfeld developed six distinct stages of development in his book Creative and Mental Growth. Currently there is limited information on the formation of these stages and the connection to their use in art therapy. The intent of this thesis was to synthesize information on the formation and methodology of Lowenfeld’s developmental artistic stages in order to understand Lowenfeld’s contributions to the field of art therapy. A systematic literature review was conducted to gather current and archival resources related to Viktor Lowenfeld, his methods of research, his theory on artistic development, and his relevance to the field of art therapy. Research was collected from Indiana University Purdue University library resources and Pennsylvania State University Archives. Findings showed that Lowenfeld developed his theory based on other theorists of his era. Each theorist contributed to either his stage theory design or general concepts of certain stages. According to record, Lowenfeld developed his theories in the 1940’s, and these were based off his work with children in Austria and the United States. There is no available information on the demographics or the method Lowenfeld used to collect information about the children he worked with. There have been augmentations since Lowenfeld’s death in an attempt to keep information in later editions relevant. Lowenfeld’s work has been historically called upon in the profession of art therapy. As the field of art therapy continues to evolve, there is a need for evidence based theories to substantiate what has been relied upon in the past. Levick’s stages of artistic development are evidence based however more information needs to be gathered. Future recommendations are for art therapists to conduct systematic research on children’s artwork and create a normative base of children’s artwork based on current demographics and societal changes.