Medicine, art and the death of Franz Liszt

AbstractMuch might be learned about the art of medicine by studying the lives of great artists. The year 2011 marked the bicentenary of the birth of Franz Liszt (1811–1886), one of the most accomplished musicians of the 19th century. Lessons relevant to contemporary medical practice can be found by examining aspects of his life and art, as well as the failure of his physicians to practise their own art during his final days.