Stendhal Syndrome

 Stendhal Syndrome, also called Florence syndrome because it first happened in Florence, Italy, is apparently this phenomenon of being so overwhelmed by the majesty of art that one faints, enters into a fugue state, gets confused, or even has hallucinations. Seems pretty unlikely to me, yet it's common enough that a name has been given to it. If anything, I believe more of the opposite phenomon, Paris syndrome, which is that people are underwhelmed by the reality of Paris and feel it doesn't match up to the image they had in their own mind. Sounds awfully similar to buyer's remorse or just feeling disappointment about a movie, a book, a TV show, or anything that we consume in today's society: the reality is often (and usually) not as good as it was advertised. 

Apparently, though, Stendhal is not just being fascinated and going "oooh" and "ahhhhh" at artwork, and Paris Syndrome is not just feeling disappointed like "groan" or leaving the Louvre after 20 minutes when you thought it was going to be this life-changing experience but instead got bored at the ancient Egyptian exhibit that's just like every other ancient Egypt exhibit you've ever been to (not saying I disliked the Louvre, I just had heard so much mystique about the masterpieces of artwork over the years in their collection and rumors about people trying to steal the Mona Lisa, that I thought it'd be this grand majestic place with fountains and chambers full of gold and other treasures, but instead of treasures it's just full of....tourists. And people surrounding the Mona Lisa to gawk at it. Maybe that explains why somebody recently threw a piece of cake at the Mona Lisa? Could be Paris Syndrome). Paris Syndrome apparently only aplies to people who suffer extreme reactions to the artwork, like fainting or some abnormal circumstance. I just can't ever imagine myself ever reacting so strongly to artwork that I had an epiphany and blood rushed to my head so quickly I couldn't contain or myself, or in the opposite sense I can't imagine being so disappointed I felt I was persecuted and suffered trauma or shock because of it. I would do what I normally do at art museums: nod and move on to the next piece. 

The only thing I can think of when viewing art is like if I saw an extra detail in a Seurat pointilism painting (like an extra person hiding in the Sunday in the park at La Grande Jatte) or something that totally changed my perception of the work, or maybe if the Last Supper had a hidden detail of Judas doing something with his hands that gave away his intention to betray Jesus, something like an Easter Egg that would completely alter my perception of the work, I could maybe see someone fainting, especially if that person (unlike me) was an art afficinado or connoisseur, like of fine wines. "How could I have missed that?" It's hard to do that when the work is like a pastel of just 5 different colors splashed in a stripe pattern like Ellsworth Kelly or Mark Rothko, but then again it's probably my ignorance of their styles that makes me not understand them. 

The closest I've ever gotten to Paris Syndrome was probably going to Mardi Gras or something (sorry New Orleans) when I was younger and had been told so much by peers and other adults how much fun I'd have at the French Quarter and what a great experience it was........and then just being shockingly disappointed by the whole experience, and questioning my very existence in the world and what I valued about entertainment, and if I should ever believe others about the quality of certain hyped-up tourist experiences ever again. Tourism is tricky....the more the consensus that some place is great, the more room it has for disappointment, up until you realize it's just another touristy spot that has done its best to hype itself up and draw visitors.