Can a Christ child have Down syndrome?

Brian G Skotko

doi:10.1002/ajmg.c.31895

Can a Christ child have Down syndrome?

Am J Med Genet C Semin Med Genet. 2021 Jun;187(2):213-215. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31895. Epub 2021 May 13.

Author

Brian G Skotko^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Down Syndrome Program, Division of Medical Genetics and Metabolism, Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
² Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

PMID: 33982416
DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31895

Abstract

Virgin and Child, a painting attributed to a follower of Andrea Mantegna completed around 1460, is currently in storage at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. With special supervised permission, I have visited the painting three times to assess whether this Christ child might have Down syndrome. My conclusion evolved each time-as did my appreciation for the synergy between physicians and art historians.

MeSH terms

Child
Down Syndrome*
Health Personnel
Humans
Medicine in the Arts*
Paintings*