The aim of this study as stated by its author is to establish the extent to which the accepted symptomatic features of psychotic paintings can be of universal and hence of possible diagnostic significance, having regard to the fact that the material previously studied in this connexion has been predominantly derived from the psychotics of Western cultural backgrounds. With this end in view Dr. Reitman has obtained both clinical data as well as paintings from the inmates of mental hospitals in New Zealand (Maori), Mexico, East Africa, Egypt, India, Ceylon, and Japan. Problems of evaluation arising out of the varying traditional art forms of different cultures, e.g. the 'overelaboration' characteristic of Indian art that might be regarded as symptomatic, or the 'writing in' in Japanese where calligraphy is still regarded as an art, are naturally much in evidence, and are dealt with in a satisfactory manner. His conclusions are