Creativity and illness : How suffering affects literature, art, and music

Abstract

A pioneering work in the field of Medical Humanities, first published as Creativity and disease in 1982, Creativity and illness now appears in a fresh, extended version based on the definitive Swedish edition published in 2022. A renowned surgeon, Philip Sandblom was also a connoisseur of the fine arts, and throughout his life he was fascinated by the interplay between art and health. Having started out as a student of the impact of illness and disability on the works of pictorial artists, he gradually integrated music and literature with his analyses. Some 150 artists, composers, and authors crowd the pages of this book. Most of these creative spirits are famous names, including Keats, Hölderlin, Woolf, Mahler, Mozart, Goya, Kahlo, and Klee; but Sandblom brings out aspects of their works that only a medical expert would discern. In lively style, this book demonstrates the effects of ill health on the artistic impulse, surprising the reader by pointing out that illness is not invariably detrimental to creativity. Abundantly illustrated, it combines portrayals of human suffering with celebrations of the human spirit manifested in consummate artistry.