http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m108/Cold-Rose/1165123274182.jpg * This was painted by a person with a rare and severe mental disorder. He was constantly seeing his own fantasies all around him. He also had a certain phobia (undisclosed).
* His (the poster?s) psychiatry professor showed this painting in a lecture, and said there was one tell-tale sign in it that showed the painter?s insanity.
* The professor didn?t say what that sign was, leaving the students to do the guesswork. The only clues he gave was, ?don?t look for small details, look at the whole; if you figure out what the phobia was, you?ve got the answer; ask yourself what could have preceded this scene; think of what the place would look like with all the objects removed?.
* The professor said that during the 15 years of his teaching, only one student had figured it out.
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Okay, pointing out little things isn't getting any closer. Keep the prof's words in mind:
-don?t look for small details, look at the whole
Everything. It's a mountain, it's snowing, it's nighttime, there are no tracks in the snow, there are pine trees and bushes covered with snow, and the background appears to repeat itself.
-if you figure out what the phobia was, you?ve got the answer
The number 3, change, agoraphobia, accordions, fire (the red cloth in the center sled), and some other things. Straw man: close.
-ask yourself what could have preceded this scene
Okay, it must have snowed earlier, on account of all the snow on the roofs; it was daytime, the people had to set up the sleds, the people had to depart from somewhere.
-think of what the place would look like with all the objects removed
Would the people remain? If so, there would just be the two skiiers, the three children, the two people in front of the carriage, the two people to the right, the nine sled passengers and the three sled drivers. The trees? The bushes? The pines? The buildings?
Edit:
NOTE! THE LINE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAINTING HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT! IT IS THE CENTER FOLD OF THE PAGES FROM THE BOOK IT WAS SCANNED FROM.