[Correspondence] Portrayal of progressive supranuclear palsy in the 16th century

A stolid face stares outwards from an oak panel, painted five centuries ago by Cornelis Anthonisz (figure). Skin creases in his neck suggest that the man in this portrait was middle-aged or older. The portrait's most intriguing element, however, is what the artist has captured in his patron's face. Unlike an expressive mien that Dutch artists of this period were so skilled at portraying, this man's face seems oddly lacking in emotion. My impression is that this portrait speaks across the centuries to convey something wrong with the health of the sitter.
Source: Lancet Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Correspondence Source Type: research