Study Suggests the Sistine Chapel May Depict a Woman with Breast Cancer
**A New Study Suggests Michelangelo Depicted Breast Cancer in Sistine Chapel’s “Deluge/The Flood”**
In a captivating melding of art and medical science, a recent research paper proposes that Michelangelo may have depicted a woman afflicted with breast cancer in his fresco, *Deluge/The Flood* (1508–1509), part of the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling. A team of European researchers led by Raffaella Bianucci of Université Paris-Saclay applied the principles of *iconodiagnosis*—the interpretation of medical conditions in historical artworks—to analyze the woman’s figure in the fresco. Their findings, published in the journal *The Breast*, suggest that Michelangelo’s rendering of one specific woman’s chest presents signs consistent with breast carcinoma.
### The Fresco: A Closer Look
At first glance, Michelangelo’s *Deluge/The Flood*, a chaotic scene illustrating the biblical flood from Genesis, may not draw particular attention to any one figure. However, the study zeroes in on a near-nude woman with a blue headdress in the composition’s lower right corner. A closer inspection of her right breast revealed key details that align with the traits of breast cancer. Two distinct lumps can be seen on the upper section of her breast, coupled with a retracted nipple and areola defects—all signs typically associated with carcinoma.
Researchers also highlighted the woman’s body posture. Seemingly holding her breast in her hand, this gesture might symbolize an awareness of the abnormality, drawing attention to her affliction—a variation on Michelangelo’s oft-depicted theme of bodies grappling with suffering and fate.
### Comparing Bodies: Health and Illness in Michelangelo’s Figures
To validate their observations, the researchers contrasted the cancer-suggestive details of the breast in *Deluge/The Flood* with those of other female figures depicted in another of Michelangelo’s major works, *The Last Judgment* (1536–1541), also in the Sistine Chapel. In this fresco, two women with exposed chests exhibit markedly different characteristics of health and aging when compared to the woman in *Deluge/The Flood*.
One woman’s breasts in *The Last Judgment* appear “firm and symmetrically positioned,” showcasing youthful health. The only minor asymmetry noted was benign and did not draw attention to any significant pathological condition. In contrast, another older woman portrayed in *The Last Judgment* reveals sagging breasts—consistent with the natural signs of aging—and shows no signs of illness, providing a further distinction from the dismal appearance of the afflicted woman in *Deluge/The Flood*.
The differences in how Michelangelo depicted these women further support the hypothesis that the illness observed in the *Deluge* figure is intentional and symbolic.
### Michelangelo’s Anatomical Knowledge and Artistic Choices
Michelangelo’s deep understanding of human anatomy, much of which he gained through cadaver dissections in his teenage years, is undisputed. His anatomical mastery is visible throughout his sculptures and frescoes, including the highly detailed musculature of both *David* and the Sistine Chapel’s numerous figures. Nonetheless, Michelangelo is occasionally criticized for his treatment of the female form, as he was more renowned for focusing on the anatomy of men.
One particularly relevant example cited in the study is Michelangelo’s *Night* (1526–1531), a sculpture from the tomb of Giuliano de’ Medici in Florence, Italy. In this piece, art historians and medical professionals alike have noted that the woman’s breast—seemingly placed on a male torso—appears unnatural in form. Interestingly, a similar diagnosis of breast cancer was posited for this female figure years prior, suggesting that anatomical distortions may sometimes have been symbolic rather than purely aesthetic in his works.
In discussing Michelangelo’s possible intent, the study reminds readers of the symbolic function of illness and suffering in Renaissance art. In particular, the researchers propose that the distorted breast in *Deluge/The Flood* may symbolize humanity’s impermanence and moral frailty, specifically within the context of the biblical flood. The affliction represented in the woman’s body could be painting a picture of both physical and metaphysical punishment, a reminder of human vulnerability in the face of divine judgment.
### The Female Form, Suffering, and Symbolism
Michelangelo’s portrayal of the human body, particularly physical suffering, is often lauded for its philosophical depth. His figures are typically emotionally engaged with their surrounding world, aware of impending doom or immersed in struggles against both physical and spiritual forces. The woman in *Deluge/The Flood*, contemplating her own afflicted breast, serves as a poignant example of this trait.
Unlike contemporary medical imagery that typically aims for the literal, Michelangelo’s works engage with suffering on various levels—spiritual, emotional, and physical. The diagnosis of breast cancer in this particular figure transcends a simple medical case study. It delves into the artist’s relationship