Unprovenanced Material Culture and Freud’s Collection of Antiquities

Abstract

Over his long life Sigmund Freud collected at least 2500 antiquities, most of which are now on view to the public in the London Freud Museum. What has not previously been properly considered is to what degree Freud was archaeologically informed, and why he became involved in the ‘excavation’ of Duna-Pentele in modern Hungary. Much has been written (not least by psychoanalysts) on the possible symbolic significance both of his collecting and of what he collected. It is at least arguable that his purchasing of antiquities was more to do with his mood at any particular time, and what was available on the market. Over time, items in Freud’s collection have been ascribed different significances by Freud himself, and by others. The changing nature of assessments of the significance of material culture should be kept in mind when confronted by some of today’s politically correct stances.

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