title: The epileptic seizure and the mystery of death in Christian painting.
abstract: The epileptic seizure is in many cultures associated with death. Indo-European tradition perceives death not necessarily as the end but as a step, as a point the life cycle is passing through. The epileptic seizure may be seen as a transient form of death, which offers some symmetry with the biblical story of the death and resurrection of Christ. This article, originating from a case report, shows how some Christian painting alludes to renaissance after a seizure and to the parallelism between the patient with epilepsy and the destiny of Christ. Special attention is paid to Raphael's, in this respect particularly complex work, The Transfiguration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Hôpital St. Anne (Pr FX Roux), Paris, France. m.mann@ch-sainte-anne.fr
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Mann
mesh_terms: D001293:Attitude to Death; D002835:Christianity; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008512:Medicine in the Arts; D010151:Paintings