Did Rubens' Delilah have Mondor's disease?

Abstract

Background: Rubens was a master of European Baroque painting and a practitioner of realism. A female model for his paintings of Samson and Delilah and the Three Graces has apparent right-sided breast abnormalities.

Method and results: Examination of the images shows persistent changes. The clinical scenario suggests Mondor's disease, possibly related to rheumatoid arthritis or chronic infection.

Discussion: Visible breast changes such as distortion, skin retraction and nipple deviation warrant concern and require investigation.