Birth of Venus Causes Case of Stendhal's Syndrome

The Birth of Venus, painted by Sandro Botticelli in the 1480s, is one of he world's truly beautiful artworks. I still remember it taking my breath away in when I stood before it. If you've seen it, you know what I mean. If you haven't, then go. Just GO.

Though here is a tale from last week that might give you pause.
"A man suffered a heart attack after he became overwhelmed by the beauty of Botticelli's The Birth of Venus. The unnamed Italian, 70, was gazing at the 15th century masterpiece in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence on Saturday morning when he had an intense artistic experience. He was the latest to fall victim to an apparent condition known as Stendhal's Syndrome - defined as dizziness, fainting, hallucinations and even heart palpitations when seeing something of 'great beauty'..." [read more in the Daily Mail].

Stendhal Syndrome

Stendhal syndrome was named after Marie-Henri Beyle (1783–1842), better known by his penname Stendhal, following his 1817 visit to Florence.

In his book Naples and Florence: A Journey from Milan to Reggio, he wrote:
"I was in a sort of ecstasy, from the idea of being in Florence, close to the great men whose tombs I had seen. Absorbed in the contemplation of sublime beauty ... I reached the point where one encounters celestial sensations ... Everything spoke so vividly to my soul. Ah, if I could only forget. I had palpitations of the heart, what in Berlin they call 'nerves'. Life was drained from me. I walked with the fear of falling...." [read more].


Also called Florence Syndrome, or hyperkulturemia, the psychosomatic disorder causes rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, confusion and even hallucinations when one sees great art.

Your doctor won't find it in the DSM (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), but staff at Florence's Santa Maria Nuova hospital are used to treating dizzy and disoriented tourists. It was there that the syndrome was named by psychiatrist Graziella Magherini in 1979.


"Once a month, or more often than that, a foreign tourist is rushed to the psychiatric ward of the Hospital of Santa Maria Nuova, where Dr. Magherini works, suffering from mental imbalance, dizziness, disorientation, all brought on by the overwhelming effect of the patient’s encounter with the city’s masterpieces. If extreme, these symptoms can also include the loss of the sense of identity, depression, and physical exhaustion. Dozens of people have been recorded as being so affected in front of Michelangelo’s David, Caravaggio’s Bacchus, or Botticelli’s Venus.
Why Florence? Why not Rome? Why not Venice? Dr. Magherini says: 'Florence is not a direct cause, but acts as catalyst. Florence is haunted by the ghosts of the great, and impressionable personalities can succumb.'
Art critic Jonathan Turner compared Stendhal’s Syndrome to Rubens’ Syndrome, a syndrome that can cause people to act up sexually when faced with erotic art, such as nude paintings by Rubens. But Stendhal’s Syndrome does not cause any change in the patient’s sexual behavior. Rather, it gives the victim a sense of swooning, queasiness, a feeling of disorientation, of heightened sensitivity, and a sense of panic when confronted with the world of art..." [read more on Italoamericano].

In homage to Stendhal, Trenitalia named their overnight train service from Paris to Venice the Stendhal Express. The service operates in partnership with SNCF between Paris (Lyon) and Venice (Santa Lucia), via Milan (Central).


To learn more
Beauty of Botticelli 'brings on a HEART ATTACK': Art lover 'overwhelmed' by The Birth of Venus becomes latest victim of condition triggered by 'intense artistic experience' - Daily Mail
The eternal beauty of Botticelli's “The Birth of Venus” caused a man to have a heart attack - Artsy
Botticelli's The Birth of Venus Is Apparently Beautiful Enough to Induce Heart Attacks - W Magazine
Stendhal’s Syndrome: The disease you can only catch in Florence - Italoamericano
Having an Art Attack: A brief look at Stendhal Syndrome - Psychology Today
Stendhal Syndrome: Overdosing On Beautiful Art- Mental Floss


More from arttravelbug
Propaganda Postcards - through January 21, 2019 - Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Artful Stay: Hôtel Les Roches Rouges
Return of the Ruby Slippers
Honouring Magritte
Venice: Guggenheim Backstory

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