Abstracts

Rationale: Oftentimes works of art represent, whether willingly or not, medical conditions. Not only traditional paintings or sculptures, but other forms of art can be used to such effect. That could as well be the case of Max Ernst's surrealistic novel in collage, Une Semaine de Bont , which has several images of characters in bizarre positions that could correspond to non-epileptic seizures. Methods: By analyzing some of the pictures of Une Semaine de Bont and comparing them to typical semiologic features of non-epileptic seizures, the authors propose that those images might have been a graphic representation of such events. Results: One of the main representatives of the Surrealistic movement in the beginning of the 20th Century, Max Ernst's Une Semaine de Bont (A Week of Kindness)is regarded by many as the first groundbreaking work of collage. The contents of the book were used to criticize the European society at the time. Mostly in the final chapter, Samedy,L' lement: Inconnu, Exemple: La Cl des Chants (Saturday, Element: Unknown, Example: The Key to Songs), one can find several female characters in bizarre positions, with out-of-phase limbs, wide-eyed, and even in opistotonus. These could well represent non-epileptic seizures. Conclusions: Similar to what can be found in more traditional works of art, the figures of Une Semaine de Bont might have been interpreted as graphic depticions of non-epileptic seizures.