James Delbourgo's 'A Noble Madness' Examines the Evolution of Collecting from Pathology to Normality

In his book 'A Noble Madness,' historian James Delbourgo explores how perceptions of collecting have changed over time. He opens with Norman Bates from Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film Psycho, representing the obsession associated with accumulation. Delbourgo traces the history of collecting back to premodern eras, mentioning figures such as Hans Sloane, whose collection laid the foundation for the British Museum, and Alfred Russel Wallace, who gathered wildlife specimens in Southeast Asia. He also addresses pathological perspectives, including the concept of pǐ from Ming dynasty China and Freud's 1908 essay on anal erotics. Neuroscientists propose potential biological connections to brain damage. Delbourgo observes the transformation of collecting from a 'freak' pastime to a mainstream activity, citing The Economist's 2017 remarks on Sloane. This 320-page hardcover, priced at £25, will be featured in ArtReview's September 2025 issue, published by Riverrun.