Over the centuries, there have been numerous examples of fine artists creating works of art that deliberately work with and within contemporaneous medical thought, portraying people with particular ailments or diseases. But what about if we turn that concept around a little bit? What happens when those in the medical field turn to paintings or sculptures from the past and retroactively investigate the health of the individuals depicted therein? What happens when art history turns into a diagnosis?                

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Want more art-historical goodness? Check out the links below:

Boston Globe: Monet? Gaugin? Using Art to Make Better Doctors

New York Times: Studying Art with the Eye of a Physician

Wall Street Journal: Doctors Enlist Paintings to Hone Skills

The Guardian: The Fine Art of Medical Diagnosis

The Guardian: Did the Mona Lisa Have Syphilis?

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