Login to Access Video or Poster Abstract: FRII-01
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Introduction

Through Michelangelo’s life and artwork we gain glimpses of the Italian artist’s condition or recurrent kidney stones. Our aim was to search through literature to gain a better understanding of his symptoms and how he was treated for urolithiasis.

Methods

A literature search was performed using PubMed and Google on Michelangelo Buonarroti and kidney stones.

Results

Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) was presumed to suffer from chronic illness throughout life. He had a history of recurrent kidney stones as well as gout later in life. In 1999, Eknoyan claimed that Michelangelo’s medical condition influenced his artwork. Eknoyan pointed out the painting, God Separating Earth from Waters, was drawn in the shape of a “bisected right kidney”. Perhaps it is the artwork which stimulates further interest in Michelangelo’s medical history. _x000D_ According to some authors, Michelangelo was diagnosed with kidney stones at age 75 in 1549 and was treated by Realdo Colombo. However, there is mention of symptoms and kidney problems prior to 1549. In The Life of Michelangelo, Condivi mentions “gravel in his urine” which may have preceded kidney stones. A Week in the Life of Michelangelo relates events from 1518-1526 where the artist kept records of the food he ate during the day as he was recommended to eat light meals to prevent stones. _x000D_ Most detailed accounts of Michelangelo’s condition come from letters written to his nephew. In March 1549, he complains of difficulties with urination, fever, and pain which keeps him up at night. A few days later, in another letter he mentions being told to drink “a certain kind of water” which leads to passing of his stones along with “thick white matter”. He continues to mention this “spring water from Vitterbo” as his treatment regimen and reports feeling better. While acknowledging the treatment, Michelangelo continues to pray and thank God in each of his letters which give us a glimpse of the importance of faith in his illness. Despite treatment, Michelangelo’s health worsened and he was diagnosed with gout in 1555. The development of gout raises suspicion that he was suffering from urate stones. This could be due to a congenital medical illness or as Wolf suggested in 2005 it could be acquired from injury to his kidneys due to lead exposure from lead-based paints and wine stored in lead containers.

Conclusions

While the literature is inconclusive on the cause of Michelangelo’s kidney stones, it appears that compounds found in the paint he used contributed to his health conditions, which later manifested in his artwork in the form of God emerging from a bisected kidney.

Funding

none