The neurology behind three wounded French artists during the great world war

Abstract

A unique association joins Guillaume Apollinaire, Blaise Cendrars and Louis Ferdinand Céline. Besides being great exponents of French literature, they were all neurologically wounded during the First World War. Apollinaire had a traumatic brain injury, Cendrars developed phantom limb neuropathic pain and Céline presented radial nerve paralysis. There is quite an evidence that supports that their artistic output was also influenced by acquired neurological conditions during the war. The examples of these three French authors reveal the surprising intimacy Neurology can share with art and history.

Resumo

Uma associação única une Guillaume Apollinaire, Blaise Cendrars e Louis Ferdinand Céline. Além de serem grandes expoentes da literatura francesa, todos eles foram feridos neurologicamente durante a Primeira Guerra Mundial. Apollinaire sofreu traumatismo cranioencefálico, Cendrars desenvolveu dor neuropática do membro fantasma e Céline apresentou paralisia do nervo radial. Há bastantes evidências que sustentam que a sua produção artística também foi influenciada pelas condições neurológicas adquiridas durante a guerra. Os exemplos desses três autores franceses revelam a surpreendente intimidade que a neurologia pode compartilhar com a arte e a história.

Keywords:

art - history of neurology - traumatic brain injury - World War I - peripheral neuropathy

Palavras-chave:

arte - história da neurologia - lesões encefálicas traumáticas - primeira guerra mundial - neuropatia periférica

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