Traumatic strabismus in Franz Josias Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld'portraits (1697-1764).

Abstract

A case of traumatic strabismus was painted in two portraits of Franz Josias, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1697-1764). Both canvases are held by the Art Collection of Veste Coburg (Accession numbers: M.076 & M.363). Resorting to the "Guidelines for Iconodiagnosis", a careful comparison of the portraits of the Duke pre-dating an accident with those showing evidence of an ocular trauma afterwards, was performed. An analysis of the historical and biographical written sources was carried out as well. At the age of 32 years, while playing battledore and shuttlecock (in French "jeu de volant", a forerunner of badminton), Duke Franz Josias sustained a traumatic left eye injury. This did not heal with time and was depicted in contemporary paintings of the Duke. Combining both biographical and artistic sources, a diagnosis of post-traumatic strabismus due to injury of the left inferior rectus muscle was proposed with an Iconodiagnosis level of evidence II.