Abstract:

Traditionally, research on artistic functions mainly focus on its educational, cognitive, and aesthetic aspects, whereas the
most fundamental part: therapeutic function has been practically neglected. This article summarizes major theories on the effects of art
as psychological treatment from the perspective of anthropology and art history, and concludes that the history of art, in a sense, could
also be regarded as a history of psychiatric treatment. Taking literati paintings as the examples, this paper illustrates the new
interpretation of artistic function as art therapy.

Key words: functions of art, art therapy, literati paintings