Patron saint for epilepsy (III)

Mainfränkisches Museum Würzburg, unknown Swabian artist, 16th century (Especially noteworthy: tonic stretching of the arms, hint of cyanosis of the lips, striking black-yellow colouration of the clothing)

Pflock Altar, Annaberg (Erzgebirge), unknown artist, around 1520. (Especially noteworthy: tonic cramping of the left hand, squinting of the eyes, cyanosis of the lips, hypersalivation, red clothing)

Representations of epileptic individuals in relation to the "patronage of epilepsy" by Saint Valentine not infrequently show interesting details that provide information, for example, about medical knowledge of the period (symptomatology of epilepsy!) or about the social situation of epileptics in their time (e.g. clothing – see the test of the previous instalments "Patron saint for epilepsy I and II").

In this instalment, details from five artworks of various centuries are shown as examples of such medical or social indicators. All the detailed views derive from representations showing epileptics together with Saint Valentine (mainly at his feet; 4 paintings, 1 stone sculpture).

Unknown artist, 18^th century, Röhrnbach, Bayern. (Especially noteworthy: Flaccidity of the whole body [atonic seizure], eyes rolling upwards, clothes lacking)

Johann Philipp Ruckerpauer, 1^st half of the 18^th century, detail from the picture of the main altar of St Valentine’s Church in Braunau-Haselbach (A). (Especially noteworthy: impacted left thumb, twisting of the left arm, head and eyes towards the left ['fencing posture’, ‘versive seizure’])

Leopold Hafner, 2^nd half of the 20^th century, well in the courtyard of Passau Cathedral. (Especially noteworthy: extended arms, tonically stretched legs ['generalised tonic seizure], open eyes.