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The sponge-bearer suffers from goiter: “The Passion of Christ” (c. 1530) by Fermo Stella

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Abstract

In the partition of the church of San Bernardino in Caravaggio (Lombardy), Fermo Stella (c. 1490–1562) depicted a cycle of frescoes of “The Passion of Christ”. In the central panel, “The Crucifixion” one of the tortures of Christ, the sponge-bearer, shows a large goiter and other signs of hypothyroidism (macroglossia, expressionless face, and puffiness around the eyes), confirming that the Renaissance artists often represented sinful and wicked individuals as affected by thyroid diseases.

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Fig. 1

© Courtesy Comune di Caravaggio. Photo by Gianfranco Tadini

References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, via Cadore 48, 20900, Monza, Italy

    M. E. Paladino & M. A. Riva

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  1. M. E. Paladino
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  2. M. A. Riva
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Correspondence to M. A. Riva.

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Paladino, M.E., Riva, M.A. The sponge-bearer suffers from goiter: “The Passion of Christ” (c. 1530) by Fermo Stella. J Endocrinol Invest 45, 1463–1464 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-021-01667-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-021-01667-5

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