Medicine on the Work of Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso

Abstract

Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, one of the pivotal figures of the Portuguese Modernist movement, studied painting and began his work in Paris where he arrived at the age of 19. Interestingly, Amadeo cemented strong friendships with some physicians from his time. The first was Manuel Laranjeiro, physician, poet and essayist, who has been a major influence on his choice of studying visual arts. In 1909, the painter met the dermatologist Paul Alexander and later Dr. Martins, who diagnosed him with a dermatosis, which led the painter to have to interrupt his work. Described as an eczema, which affected his face and hands, probably an allergic contact dermatitis to paints or other products that did not become clarified, with the artist’s early death at age of 30 by pneumonic fever. Occupational diseases affect the practice of many professions and artists, including painters, who constitute an important risk group. Contact with several components of paints and solvents are associated with the contact sensitization. However, allergens responsible for allergic contact dermatitis change over the time according to the usage trends and products´ composition.