A Thousand Years of Tuberculosis: A Journey Through Western Art

The Divine Touch: Tuberculosis in the 10th-18th Centuries

For centuries, European monarchs asserted their divine right to rule, a claim often reinforced through rituals like the "royal touch." This practice, believed to miraculously heal the sick, was frequently sought by those suffering from scrofula, a form of tuberculosis affecting the lymph nodes. The seemingly miraculous recoveries, likely due to the disease's natural tendency to go into remission, further solidified the monarch's authority and the public's belief in their divine power.

Often depicted in art, ceremonies involving the royal touch showcased the king surrounded by courtiers and clergy, laying hands on the afflicted. These images served not just as historical records but as powerful symbols of the intertwined relationship between power, religion, and medicine in this era.

From Romanticized Suffering to Medical Marvels: Tuberculosis in the 19th Century

The 19th century presented a paradoxical view of tuberculosis. The Industrial Revolution brought about widespread poverty, and artists like Cristobal Rojas depicted the harsh reality of TB as a disease of the impoverished. His painting, "The Misery," stands in stark contrast to the romanticized image of the disease that also prevailed.

Tuberculosis became associated with fragile beauty, personified by figures like Marie Duplessis, whose story inspired Dumas' "La Dame aux Camélias." This romanticized view, fueled by societal fascination with the tragic and the ethereal, even led figures like Lord Byron to idealize consumption as a delicate end.

This era also saw the rise of the "consumptive artist" archetype. The belief that tuberculosis enhanced artistic talent, coupled with the physical manifestations of the disease—pallor and thinness—contributed to a mythos surrounding creativity and suffering.

Simultaneously, medical advancements began to reshape the narrative. Paintings like Jules Adler's "Transfusion of a Goat's Blood," commissioned by TB specialist Dr. Samuel Bernheim, depicted the cutting-edge medical interventions of the time, showcasing the evolving understanding and treatment of the disease.

Artists like Edvard Munch and Christian Krohg offered deeply personal portrayals of the disease, exploring themes of loss and grief through their depictions of family members succumbing to tuberculosis.

The Fight Against a Microbial Foe: Tuberculosis in the 20th Century and Beyond

Robert Koch's discovery of the tuberculosis bacillus in 1882 marked a turning point. Tuberculosis was no longer a romanticized affliction but a tangible enemy. Propaganda posters from World War I depicted TB as a national adversary, mirroring the fight against Germany. This era saw the rise of public health campaigns, utilizing posters and stamps to raise awareness and mobilize society against the disease.

Artists like Alice Neel brought the realities of TB in urban settings to light, focusing on marginalized communities. Her painting "TB Harlem" captures the stark reality of the disease in New York City. Meanwhile, patient-created art, like the sculpture "Recovery," offered a powerful perspective from those who lived with the illness.

The latter half of the 20th century witnessed the rise of HIV/AIDS, and art often depicted the two diseases intertwined, reflecting their combined impact on global health. More recently, artists like Paulina Siniatkina have used their work to explore the stigma associated with TB, highlighting the continued challenges faced by those affected.

From divine touch to public health campaigns, the artistic representation of tuberculosis over the past millennium mirrors our evolving understanding and experience of this persistent disease. It reflects not only medical and scientific progress but also the social, cultural, and personal impacts of a disease that continues to shape our world.