NEEDLE • KNIFE • TORCH [&] BRUSH

Following are three remarkable
embroideries by Joseph Roth, a
schizophrenic patient at the
Central Islip Psychiatric Center,
NY 1905.
At least eleven works by Roth
have been identified, ranging in
date from 1905-1921. The
earlier ones while he was in
Central Islip and then later
when he was a patient at the
Binghamton State Hospital.
Roth and these works are an
important addition to the canon
and study of American Outsider
Art.
They are written in broken
English and German, without
punctuation and only in capital
letters. Some are highly
illustrative, while others, like
the examples herein are more
focused on the written word.
Joseph Roth
Kalane.Sunday.August.27.1905..Report
Embroidered thread on linen
Dated: August 27, 1905
Size: 10 3/8" (w) x 16 1/16" (h)
As of now, I have not been able
to identify Roth, however it can
be inferred that he was likely a
German immigrant and that he
was institutionalized for
schizophrenia and having a
“messiah complex.” On four
embroideries Roth declares that
he is the, “World Erloser”
which translates from German
as “savior or redeemer.”
In trying to find Joseph Roth, I
found that the New York Times
and other papers reported in
May of 1902 that a “Joseph
Roth” a butler, was wanted for
check fraud. It may be a