My Left Breast, or What Paintings Teach Us

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of cultural determinants of the interpretation of breast cancer representations present in Renaissance art. Interpretation is understood in terms of semiotics as an operation of transforming sign structures guided by the specifics of the problem situation the interpreter finds himself in. Interpretation is thus determined by its objective and presupposed knowledge relevant to achieving it. Taking the above into account, the text considers two types of interpretation (along with their cultural determinants) of artistic representations of breasts present in Renaissance art. First, selected diagnostic interpretations of specific works of art taken from medical literature are reconstructed. Secondly, interpretations of these works are presented based on issues relevant to the history of art and cultural theory. The concluding part raises the issue of the opaqueness of the cultural determinants of self-diagnosis recommended as a form of secondary prevention of breast cancer.