[Issenheim's altarpiece: does the disease depicted on the altarpiece correspond to ergotism?].

The Issenheim altar by Mathias Grünenwald (Unterlinden museum in Colmar) shows various scenes from the life of St Antony, abbot. The Tentation panel has been considered as an illustration of the sacer ignis, or St Antony's disease (ergotism). In fact, it may more likely indicate an early representation of Syphilis, or the French disease, as discussed here.