Paleopathology of rheumatism in paintings • 217 



Figure 2. Synovial swelling of proximal inter- 

 phalangeal, metacarpal, and wrist joints in a patient 

 suflering from rheumatoid arthritis. 



Figure 1. Jacob Jordaens: The painter's family (de- 

 tail); Madrid, Prado. The maidservant's right hand 

 shows swelling of metacarpal and proximal inter- 

 phalangeal joints. 



Figure 3. Jan Gossaert (Mabuse); The Dona- 

 tors; Brussels, National Museum. Flexion con- 

 tractures of the man's right hand. 



A few years ago I noticed two other remarkable examples 

 of rheumatoid deformities of the hand in late Gothic paint- 

 ings: one by M. Van Heemskerck ( 1498-1574) titled "Altar 

 Panels with Donors" (Figure 4) and the Avignon Pieta 

 (± 1470) at the Louvre in Paris, by a Southern French Master 

 entirely under the influence of the Flemish School ( Figure 5). 

 The left hand of one of the donors and the right hand of St. 

 John show grossly deformed joints with fingers twisted and 

 turned sideways or bent backwards. 



Zagreb Paleopathology Symp. I9S8 



FiGURi: 4. M. van Heemskerck: Altar Panels 

 with Donors; Vienna, Kunsthistorisch Museum. 

 Rheumatoid deformities of the fingers and atro- 

 phy of the dorsum of the hand. 



Figure 5. Southern French Master: Avignon 

 Pieta; Avignon. Twisted fingers of St. John's 

 right hand turned sideways and bent backward. 



