The story
Named after the 19th-century French author Stendhal (Marie-Henri Beyle), who described such an experience in his book Naples and Florence: A Journey from Milan to Reggio.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Stendhal syndrome
Today it means: A psychosomatic disorder, with rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, etc., when a person is exposed to an experience of great personal significance, particularly viewing artworks. Full definition →