Michelangelo's hands were 'riddled with arthritis' from years of hammering and chiselling - but working until his death kept them flexible, doctor claims

  • Dr Davide Lazzeri is a plastic surgery specialist at a clinic in Rome
  • He dismissed previous claims the artist's involving his joints was gout
  • Michelangelo complained his hands caused him discomfort in a letter
  • Studies of the 16th century artist have previously suggested he had autism

Artist Michelangelo, pictured here in a self portrait, was suffering osteoarthritis, an expert has claimed

Artist Michelangelo, pictured here in a self portrait, was suffering osteoarthritis, an expert has claimed

Artist Michelangelo suffered from arthritis as he aged but addiction to work may have extended the use of his hands, an expert has claimed.

Three pictures of the great Renaissance sculptor and painter between the ages of 60 and 65 show evidence of osteoarthritis affecting the small joints of his left hand.

In earlier portraits of the younger artist no signs of joint deformity can be seen.

Dr Davide Lazzeri, a plastic surgery specialist at the Villa Salaria Clinic in Rome, said: 'It is clear from the literature that Michelangelo was afflicted by an illness involving his joints. 

'In the past this has been attributed to gout, but our analysis shows this can be dismissed.'

No signs of inflammation could be seen in Michelangelo's hands, and nor was there any evidence of tophi, the small lumps of uric acid crystals that form under the skin of people with gout.

Letters written by the artist suggest his hand symptoms appeared late in life. 

According to a letter written to his nephew in 1552, they caused him great discomfort.

Nevertheless he continued to create one masterpiece after another and was seen hammering only a few days before his death in 1564, three weeks before his 89th birthday.

By then, he was unable to write, and could only sign his letters.

Dr Lazzeri, whose findings appear in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, said the common illness would explain the loss of function.

'The diagnosis of osteoarthritis offers one plausible explanation for Michelangelo's loss of dexterity in old age and emphasises his triumph over infirmity as he persisted in his work until his last days,' he said.

'Indeed, the continuous and intense work could have helped Michelangelo to keep the use of his hands for as long as possible.' 

Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder, with the World Health Organisation estimating the condition affects 9.6 per cent of men and 18 per cent of women aged over 60.

However, it's not entirely clear what causes the pain, and many patients fail to respond to standard treatments such as painkillers or anti-inflammatory drugs.

The condition occurs when the cartilage that lines the joints is damaged, usually due to wear and tear.

Magnified pictures of his hands, from the Portrait of Michelangelo Buonarroti by Daniele da Volterra, show signs of arthritis, according to Dr Davide Lazzeri

Magnified pictures of his hands, from the Portrait of Michelangelo Buonarroti by Daniele da Volterra, show signs of arthritis, according to Dr Davide Lazzeri

Michelangelo's , Last Judgment fresco from the Sistine Chapel, post-restoration,  in Vatican City

Michelangelo's , Last Judgment fresco from the Sistine Chapel, post-restoration,  in Vatican City

The artists hands, seen here in a portrait by Jacopino del Conte, show signs of arthritis rather than gout, an expert has claimed

The artists hands, seen here in a portrait by Jacopino del Conte, show signs of arthritis rather than gout, an expert has claimed

However, the pain is often not proportional to the damage: some people with relatively large amounts of damage don't experience discomfort, while others with little wear and tear suffer chronic pain.

Born in 1474 in the village of Caprese, near Florence, Michelangelo Buonarroti is widely considered one of the greatest artists of all time.

In 1488, Michelangelo was apprenticed to the painter Domenico Ghirlandaio and primarily sculpted during his early years.

The continuous and intense work could have helped Michelangelo to keep the use of his hands for as long as possible
Dr Davide Lazzeri

After producing his most famous piece 'David' (1501-1504) Pope Julius II summoned Michelangelo to Rome and commissioned him to design Julius' own tomb. 

Quarrels and other demands on the artist's time meant the project was never completed, although Michelangelo did produce a sculpture of Moses for the tomb.

His health is said to have suffered during the painting of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, between 1508 and 1512.

According to fellow painter Giorgio Vasari, the masterpiece caused Michelangelo 'great discomfort,' affecting both his vision and joints from months of painting.

In 1549 Michelangelo was diagnosed and treated for nephrolithiasis, or kidney stones, a problem that plagued him for the rest of his life. 

It has been reported an obstructive nephropathy - where a blockage in the bladder causes urine to back up into the kidneys - may have been the cause of his death. 

Michelangelo was also interested in anatomy and participated in dissections from a young age. 

Looking up to the soaring interior surface of the Dome of St. Peter's Basilica. His continued use of his hands may have helped stave off the effects of osteoarthritis, an expert said

Looking up to the soaring interior surface of the Dome of St. Peter's Basilica. His continued use of his hands may have helped stave off the effects of osteoarthritis, an expert said

This interest gave him a special familiarity with the human anatomy and function.

Some of his poetry and drawings reflect his interest in kidney function probably due to his interest in his own condition, experts have noted.

His painting of Separation of Land and Water on the Sistine Chapel ceiling depicts the shape of a bisected right kidney, suggests Michelangelo was familiar with the anatomy and function of the kidney as it was understood at the time.

Previous studies have also linked the famous 16th century artist had autism.

Writing in the same journal, autism expert Dr Muhammad Arshad suggested Michelangelo suffered from Asperger's disorder, or high-functioning autism.

He described Michelangelo as 'aloof and a loner' and preoccupied with his own private reality.

'His single-minded work routine, unusual lifestyle, limited interests, poor social and communication skills and various issues of life control appear to be features of high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome,' he said. 

 

 

 

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