In a preface to the present American edition (the first English edition was published in 1953)1 the author reviews for us the reticent responses of psychologists to this book in contrast to its enthusiastic reception by artists. In effect, his ideas proved to be so harmonious with, and so prophetic about, the developing American art scene (particularly as it applied to abstract and action painting) that it justified its revival in the current edition.

Ehrenzweig suggests that the dubious responses from psychologists may be due to his use of novel psychological terminology (such as the 'surface' and the 'depth' mind) as well as to his intentional avoidance of the principles of primary process mental functioning in unconscious processes. He also proposes that deep unconscious processes may indeed not be chaotic but may be characterized