ICONODIAGNOSIS in Vienna Art Museum (Austria): an example of ISI inventory mission and an useful museal practice for doctors

ISI, International Society of Iconodiagnosis, is an international learned society dedicated to advancing the field of iconodiagnosis, which involves the retrospective medical analysis of artworks to identify clinical signs suggestive of medical disorders and diseases (Charlier, 2023). Iconodiagnosis includes not only dermatology/skin (Déchelette, 2023), but all medical specialties and organs (Grau, 2022). Furthermore, it offers a unique and engaging approach to medical education and skill enhancement. While famous paintings have been extensively studied, the learned society (ISI) firmly believes that every museum worldwide, whether local or national, ouses lesser-known or even unknown artworks depicting various visible diseases allowing iconodiagnosis. The members of ISI have chosen the Vienna Art Museum (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Austria) to carry out an iconodiagnosis inventory test. During the visit of the museum, by looking closely at the museum's works of art, ISI wanted to find out how many paintings and sculptures from the permanent collection showed iconodiagnosis features across all medical specialties.