The medical enigma of Rembrandt's Bathsheba

Abstract

The model of Rembrandt’s Bathsheba, a celebrated painting of the Louvre Museum in Paris, was his lover Hendrickje Stoffels. The picture has periodically caught the attention of the medical community because Hendrickje appears to have a condition affecting her left breast. Generally breast cancer has been proposed. The past diagnoses have been reviewed and has been proposed a new one – Mondor’s disease – based on colour, a critique of past diagnoses, and the depth of the disease to be perceivable by the painters’ eye. Finally, the article shows a convincing comparison between Bathsheba disease and a case of Mondor’s thrombophebites recently observed.

Mondor’s disease of the penis due to asymptomatic infective prostatitis provoking episodes of secondary sclerotizing lymphangitis

“…2 In most cases the superficial thickening corresponds to the route of the thoraco-epigastric vein and is caused by a superficial thrombophlebitis. 6 The thoraco-epigastric vein connects the superficial epigastric vein and the lateral thoracic vein, and therefore drains into both the superior vena cava via the axillary vein and the inferior vena cava via the femoral vein. 6 According to the Heijblom et al investigation, such a vein, running at a depth of 2 to 3 mm, can be perceived by the human retina as a bluish discoloration of the chest wall.…”

“…6 The thoraco-epigastric vein connects the superficial epigastric vein and the lateral thoracic vein, and therefore drains into both the superior vena cava via the axillary vein and the inferior vena cava via the femoral vein. 6 According to the Heijblom et al investigation, such a vein, running at a depth of 2 to 3 mm, can be perceived by the human retina as a bluish discoloration of the chest wall. 7 Penile MD (PMD) is a rare entity, with reported incidence of 1.39% 7 in men 20-40 years of age.…”

Breast cancer in Woman Sitting Half-Dressed beside a stove (1658) by Rembrandt van Rijn

“…The baroque Dutch painter Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669 CE) was acquainted with pathological modifications of the breast as shown in the canvas Bathsheba at her toilet (1654 CE); his model, Henrijke Stoffels, was depicted with discoloration of the left breast, peau d'orange and distortion of symmetry with axillary fullness. A diagnosis of breast cancer was initally proposed [ 1 ] but was later dismissed in favour of cancer mimickers (tuberculous mastitis [ 2 ], lactation mastitis following unsuccessful pregnancy [ 3 ], Mondor's thrombophlebitis [ 4 ]); this was essentially due to Henrjike's long survival (9 years after the depiction) fairly ruling out advanced breast cancer.…”