‘Hysteria’ is a collection of new portraits by Philadelphia based artist and writer J.L. Schnabel. Each portrait centers around the notion of “hysteria” which is a psycholgical state of mind of unmangable fear or emotional excess. It was a term often used exclusively for women. During the Victorian era it was generally believed that a quarter of all women suffered from it. Today it manifests itself in the form of mass hysteria, the maddening elements of unrest and gloom apparent in nearly everyone’s psyche. The women in these new portraits are placed in a supernatural context, revealing their capacity for a variety of fears and homemade remedies. Some are triumphant survivors while others succumb to the pressures of their unrealized desires. Native magic as well as Victorian spiritualism are also explored as means of comfort during a time of spiritual unrest. Infused with apocalyptic tones, the works all explore the feminine heart’s struggle for protection and guidance during a time of great fear.