Sculptors live longer

Of course, we always knew that sculpturing keeps one healthy!

It has now been proven that sculptors live longer than painters. According to the study by American doctors, sculptors live approximately four years longer than painters. The reason for this could be the greater energy one needs to work with the material, thus having a positive effect on the imune system report by the biologist Philip Greenspan and colleagues of the University of Georgia/ USA.



Philip Greenspan had this unusual thought while helping his wife, Juanita, at her work. She is sculptress. "I knew that there were not many sculptors who died early, as opposed to painters" he reports. For this reason he compared with his team the lives of 406 representatives of both professions. The ages of the artists ranged from 99 years (Tizian) to 23 years (Pierino da Vinci, a nephew of Leonardo). The sculptors reached an average age of 67,4 years, the painters, on the other hand, "only" 63,6 years. Researchers assume that the lifestyle of painters and sculptors are similar, the major difference being their activity - and this would explain the discrepancy in their life spans. Greenspan assumes that sculpting uses two-and-half times more energy than painting, the body exersin stingthens the immune system and protects from infectious deseases. This finding correlates with the credo of al health apostles - movement keeps you healthy! There are other studies for example by recognised belgium professor of medicine Jan Dequeker (he wrote several medical thesis on the Mona Lisa) who pointed to the lead found in paint. Lead poisoning was known as the painters illness. Greespan, however, countered that sculptors get much stone dust in their system, one cannot all together agree with Michelangelo who was 88 when he died. He is supposed to have said that work on the easel was only good enough for lazy people and women!
(The study "Lives of the artists: differences in longevity between old master sculptors and painters" appeard in the journal: "Age and Ageing" (Bd.37, p. 102ff, January 2008)