On the Relationship Between Art and Medicine: The Example of Saint Lucy (Lucia), the Patron Saint of Eye Diseases

Abstract

In scholarly work, it is often observed that inspiration is drawn from various sources such as
books, articles, films, etc. For instance, a film watched on a digital platform can serve as an
example. In this film, a particular image seen within the narrative prompted further investigation,
leading to the commencement of this study. The image in question belongs to Saint Lucy (Lucia).
Who is this saint, and what does this image represent? It is noteworthy that symbolic
representations of her have been encountered in foreign sources, and even in journals related to
eye diseases. This observation led to a focus on researching the saint’s life, legends, and
particularly the symbolic representations related to medicine in an iconographic context. At this
point, it was considered important to contribute this study to the art history literature. Ultimately,
it was noticed that there were no Turkish art resources or narratives focusing solely on Saint Lucy.
This realization further emphasized the importance of conducting this study. The legends of
Lucy, her suffering, and especially her story related to her eyes form the main theme of this work.