Coined in 1945 by French artist Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), the word is French for “raw artâ€. It refers to the art of Outsiders-naïve artists, the mentally ill, and the art of children-persons isolated from main society.
Art Brut was often celebrated in the work of Dubuffet who appreciated its being done for its own sake and not for concern of profit. A major collection of Art Brut work is at the Collection de l’Art Brut, founded by Dubuffet in Lausanne, Switzerland and opened in 1976.
The collection is based on European art but is much expanded from that. American artists associated with this style include Ted Gordon, Henry Darger, and Inez Nathaniel Walker.