DAY 299

ARTISTIC ODDITIES

Artistic Syndromes

TRAVELER’S WARNING: AVOID FLORENCE

“This painting is so beautiful that it’s making me dizzy.” “This sculpture is so touching—I think I may be sick.” “The art in here is so incredible...I just want to destroy it.” If any of these sound familiar, you may have one of two art-related syndromes.

Stendhal syndrome refers to dizziness, queasiness, or hallucinations brought on by exposure to great works of art. The term was initially coined by Dr. Graziella Magherini, an Italian psychiatrist who noticed that tourists were often affected by the great works of art in Florence, Italy.

David syndrome, also described and studied by Dr. Magherini, is the strong desire to destroy a piece of art, again brought on by art’s sheer beauty. She has found that while viewing Michelangelo’s David, “Men of 35 to 40 years of age...are attracted by the extraordinary masculine beauty and, at the same time, are also agitated.”³⁷

If your vacation plans include Florence, you may want to prepare yourself for the possible onset of either of these syndromes—especially if you visit the Uffizi Gallery. It may behoove you to take an Italian along, as he or she is thought to be immune to both syndromes. —GRG

Michelangelo’s David resides at the Academy Gallery in Florence, Italy.