Until the 16th century, breast cancer was considered a disease caused by excess black bile, considered incurable, and therefore untreatable. With the arrival of the Renaissance, Henry IV's surgeon, the French doctor Cabrol, began recommending mastectomies for the first time. We tell you this because it was during this period that breast cancer began to be represented in art. Let's talk about the first works that depicted breast cancer at that time in history.
It is said that the first work that shows it is The night, A painting by Michele di Rodolfo del Ghirlandaio. It depicts the sculpture of the same name, sculpted by Michelangelo. The oil painting depicts a woman, and according to experts, the signs of illness displayed by the subject confirm her diagnosis. Furthermore, the painting reveals the presence of a lump near the nipple, an irritated area around the areola, and a virtually complete retraction of the nipple. However, Michelangelo's sculpture barely shows a minimal retraction of the nipple. For this reason, the painting is considered the first work of art to depict breast cancer.
The second work known to represent this pathology is The allegory of strength by Maso di San Friano. In this painting, we see a woman with a large left breast with a large lump, evident erosion at the tip of the nipple, dilated veins, and a generally poor appearance to the areola and surrounding skin.
Although breast cancer has existed since ancient times, it wasn't until the rise of humanism, which sought to establish a new worldview, that this disease began to be represented in the fine arts.
From Rock&Tools we want to send our full support to all the women who have had to fight breast cancer and to those who continue to do so. You are champions!
