When art hurts but it saves: the cases of Modigliani, Matisse, Portinari and Rebecca Horn.

The patobiographic data of 4 great xx century artists - Modigliani, Matisse, Portinari and Rebecca Horn - are reviewed. Their artistic careers were cut short at some moment due to the professional diseases they suffered in relation with the materials used in their works. In the case of Matisse, this was due to his own temperament by manipulation of the scars from surgery. However, they fought against such impediments and when they overcame them, they were able to find new ways of artistic expression to channel their creativity.