Broken: Illness and Disability in Antônio Francisco Lisboa, Camilo Castelo Branco, Clarice Lispector, Victor Willing, Paula Rego and Ana Palma

Abstract

'Broken: Illness and Disability in Antônio Francisco Lisboa, Camilo Castelo Branco, Clarice Lispector, Victor Willing, Paula Rego and Ana Palma' traces the lives and works of six major artists and writers from Portugal, Brazil, and Britain through the lens of 'being broken'—in body, mind, or both. Spanning from the eighteenth century to the present, the volume explores how sociopolitical and somatic factors such as mental illness, psychological abuse, arthritis, genital mutilation, and multiple sclerosis shaped their creativity, while also reflecting broader national, social, sexual, and political pressures.

Engaging both literature and visual art, the book offers an original and provocative perspective that unsettles conventional narratives of health, gender, and identity in Lusophone and transnational contexts.

By situating canonical figures alongside emerging voices, 'Broken' bridges generations and disciplines, revealing how art and fiction transform experiences of illness and disability into critical insights on society, history, and power.