Blemished Noses in the Art of Three Masters: Ghirlandaio, Rembrandt and Andy Warhol

Abstract Blemished noses are portrayed in the paintings of such noted artists as Ghirlandaio, Rembrandt, and Andy Warhol. Sometimes, the deformity results from a skin disorder such as rhinophyma as in Ghirlandaio’s An Old Man and his Grandson or a saddle nose deformity from congenital syphilis as in Rembrandt’s Portrait of Gerard de Lairesse. Andy Warhol’s Before and After portrays a large nose before and after cosmetic surgery. This contribution explores some of the lessons that can be learned, both artistically and medically, from these famous works of art.