Stendhal Syndrome is a medical term. It's when a painting, or any work of art is so beautiful it overwhelms the viewer. It's a form of shock. Named after Marie-Henri Beyle, a 19th-century French writer, who was better known by his pen name, Stendhal. When Stendhal toured the Church of Santa Croce in Florence in 1817, he reported almost fainting from joy. People feel rapid heart palpitations. They get dizzy. Looking at great art makes you forget your own name, forget where you are even at. it can bring on depression and physical exhaustion. Amnesia. Panic. Heart Attack. Collapse.