[Dystonia in the painting of Matias Grunewald . Epidemic ergotism in the late middle ages].

Abstract

Mathias Grünewald painted in the Rhin vallee at the time of Albert Dürer and Lucas Cranach. In the first part of the XVI Century he painted for the antonin frïars at Issenheim, place devoted to the care of patients with "St Anthony's fire" or chronic ergotism. He despicted figures with abnormal postures simulating focal and generalized dystonia. It is likely that patients with chronic ergotism modelled for Grünewald and that his paintings are the first artistic representation of dystonia.