Abbé de Coulmier

Abbé (name) de Coulmier was a Catholic priest, and the director of the Charenton insane asylum in France in the eraly nineteenth century. He was often criticized for his "overly liberal" methods of treatment, as he favored allowing patients the right to express themselves via art, and discouraged the more primitive habits of crude physical restraint and punishment of mental patients of the day.

Related Topics:
Catholic priest - Charenton - Insane asylum - France

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Despite his significant work in psychotherapy, today de Coulmier is known primarily for his interactions with the Marquis de Sade, having been the asylum director when de Sade was institutionalized. de Coulmier provided de Sade with writing supplies, permitted de Sade's wife to live in the asylum, and allowed de Sade to produce a play which featured other asylum residents as actors.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the film Quills, he was portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix; this drew criticism on the part of historians, as the real de Coulmier was extremely short, and has been described as a hunchback.

Related Topics:
Quills - Joaquin Phoenix - Napoleon - Hunchback

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~