The black paintings and the Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome

Francisco Goya, the Spanish painter, suffered from a disease of uncertain etiology which affected his vision, hearing, and balance. The nature of his illness probably was a curious syndrome known today as Vogt-Koyanagi=Harada or uveomeningoencephalytic syndrome. This is an autoimmune disorder which involves the visual and cochlear pigment derived from the neural crest. The common finding in all cases described in the literature is bilateral uveitis. It is interesting to speculate how the period of Goya's artistic output known as the "Black Paintings" might have been created during the time he had the disease.