Elsevier

Survey of Ophthalmology

Volume 47, Issue 1, January–February 2002, Pages 55-62
Survey of Ophthalmology

History of opthalmology
9Ocular Pathology in The Parable of the Blind Leading the Blind and Other Paintings by Pieter Bruegel

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0039-6257(01)00290-9Get rights and content

Abstract

Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c.1525–1569) was a well-known 16th century painter who created many realistic canvases related to daily activities of common people of his time. The degree of realism he utilized in his paintings provided a great deal of information about life in the second half the 16th century. He was very talented not only in detailing the human faces in his paintings, but also in reflecting their states of mind. Bruegel's detail has allowed physicians over the years to critically analyze medical conditions in his paintings. This article summarizes certain ophthalmologic diseases depicted by Bruegel. The paper focuses largely on Bruegel's masterpiece, The Parable of the Blind Leading the Blind, because it is perhaps the painter's best known work, and it depicts six blind men, each appearing to suffer from a different cause of blindness. Some other works and their eye pathologies, such as the Adoration of the Magi and The Yawner, are also discussed.

Section snippets

Acknowledgements

Many people generously took part in the making of this paper and their assistance is greatfully acknowledged. Foremost, I would like to thank the staff of Capodimonte Museum in Naples, Italy, who generously assisted me with the research and photography of the “Parable of the Blind Leading the Blind.” I would also like to acknowledge the unselfish help I received from Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Brussels, Belgium. I also would like to extend my appreciation to Tulane University Medical School

References (23)

  • R.L. Anderson et al.

    Blepharospasmpast, present, and future

    Ophthal Plast Reconstr Surg

    (1998)
  • V. Barker

    Peter Bruegel the Elder. A Study of his Paintings

    (1927)
  • A.J. Barnouw

    The Fantasy of Pieter Bruegel

    (1947)
  • J.M. Charcot et al.

    Les Difformes et les malades dans l'art

    (1889)
  • B. Claessens et al.

    Pieter Bruegel Alpine Fine Arts Collection

    (1981)
  • W.H. Coles

    Signs of essential blepharospasma motion-picture analysis

    Arch Ophthalmol

    (1977)
  • V. Denis

    Tutta la pitturadi Pieter Bruegel

    (1952)
  • T. Foote

    The World of Bruegel

    (1968)
  • F.H. Garrison

    History of Medicine

    (1929)
  • P. Geyl

    The Revolt in the Netherlands1955–1609

    (1958)
  • W.S. Gibson

    Bruegel

    (1985)
  • Cited by (7)

    View all citing articles on Scopus

    The author has no commercial or proprietary interest in any product or concept discussed in this article.

    View full text