Humanist, dreamer, poet, doctor — who was Axel Munthe, really?

Axel Munthe (1857–1949) was one of those singular minds who defy easy definition. A renowned Swedish physician, a bestselling writer, a committed humanist and a lover of both the arts and animals, he embodied a profoundly free and nonconformist spirit for his time.

At the crossroads of science and humanism, North and South, from Mediterranean light to the shadows of fin-de-siècle Europe, Axel Munthe was all of these at once: a physician who treated Naples' poorest during the cholera epidemic, a discreet confidant of royals, an animal rights advocate long before it was fashionable, and a dreamer who transformed a ruined Roman site in Anacapri into a masterpiece of harmony and beauty.

His book, The Story of San Michele, a worldwide bestseller and a unique literary testimony, blends memories, reflections, encounters and mystical visions into a narrative that, much like its author, resists all classification. But who was Axel Munthe, really? Behind the royal physician, the successful writer, and the aesthete, was a man in search of truth, silence, light, and perhaps, consolation...

A brief biography

Born in Oskarshamn, in southeastern Sweden, Munthe first studied medicine at Uppsala for two years, but health problems (including pulmonary hemorrhages) forced him to abandon his studies there. In 1876, he traveled to the French Riviera for treatment. It was there that his life took a decisive turn: a visit to Capri that same year would mark the beginning of his deep attachment to the island, where he would later build the Villa San Michele. In 1877, still very young, he left to study medicine in Paris at the prestigious Faculty of Medicine at the Sorbonne.

In Paris, Axel Munthe did not confine himself to lecture halls: he moved freely among literary cafés, intellectual circles, and artists’ salons, where writers, thinkers, scientists, and pioneering doctors crossed paths. In an era marked by major social and scientific debates, medicine was gradually shifting its focus back to the human being: it was no longer just about treating diseases, but about healing the whole person, with compassion, attentive listening, and sensitivity to their environment.

This emerging and still marginal approach, in contrast to the often technical and authoritarian medicine of the time, resonated deeply with Munthe. He was particularly influenced by thinkers such as Victor Hugo and Émile Zola, whose works denounced poverty, social injustice and bourgeois hypocrisy. Munthe gravitated toward republican and secular ideals, advocating for equality, freedom of thought, and the moral duty to help the vulnerable - values that would become firmly rooted in his personal ethics. He embraced a form of free, non-dogmatic spirituality, nourished by ancient philosophies, gentle mysticism, and a deep respect for nature (almost innate in a Swede).

This blend of scientific rigor and inner quest shaped a unique, unconventional personality: not merely a doctor, nor simply a writer, but a man of conscience. He quickly gained a reputation as a bold, intuitive, and deeply humane physician, able to diagnose and heal with an almost instinctive precision.

Munthe was also a true polyglot, fluent in Swedish, French, English, Italian, and German, and traveled constantly between Europe’s great capitals. He lived and worked in Paris, Rome, Naples, and London… but his heart remained forever tied to Capri.

A doctor amid epidemics and a lover of the south

In 1880, Axel Munthe settled in Naples. There, he faced one of the darkest chapters in the city’s public health history: the great cholera epidemic of 1884, an experience that was both traumatic and formative. As a young physician, he volunteered to help the poorest communities, especially in the most severely affected rioni, overcrowded and often unsanitary neighborhoods. He treated patients without expecting anything in return, often under extreme conditions.

This harrowing yet defining experience deepened his humanist calling and profoundly shaped his view of medicine - which he saw less as a cold science than as an act of compassion. In 1929, he published his masterpiece,

The Story of San Michele (a work that is at once autobiographical, philosophical, and poetic) which became a worldwide success. Translated into more than 40 languages, it cemented his literary reputation while conveying his vision of life: free, simple, deeply connected to nature and to what truly matters.

Physician and confidant to Queen Victoria of Sweden

One of the lesser-known yet most fascinating aspects of Axel Munthe’s life was his role as the personal physician and trusted confidant of Queen Victoria of Baden, the wife of King Gustaf V of Sweden. Suffering from chronic respiratory issues, the queen regularly spent long periods on Capri, drawn by its milder climate. It was there, at Villa San Michele, that she stayed under Munthe’s attentive care.

But their relationship extended well beyond medicine: Victoria and Munthe shared a deep friendship and mutual trust. They enjoyed morning walks together, and she would play the piano for him, a bond that earned Munthe a unique place within royal circles. He remained at her side until her death in 1930. Although their closeness sparked rumors and controversy at court, it mostly reflected the intellectual and emotional magnetism Munthe inspired.

Victoria also shared Munthe’s love for animals - she herself had a pet dog, and she supported his project to purchase Mount Barbarossa and turn it into a bird sanctuary. Even during his time in Naples, Munthe was known for taking in stray or injured, a rare practice at the time. He also denounced the mistreatment of horses and donkeys in the city’s streets.

The closeness between the queen and Munthe gave rise to persistent rumors about a possible romantic relationship - though no concrete evidence was ever established. She saw him as a “bright light” in her otherwise dark life, and on her deathbed, the queen is said to have whispered to him, “Come soon” - a poignant proof of the depth of their bond.

Munthe’s legacy: a villa and a book

The Villa San Michele

Located in Anacapri, high above the island of Capri in Italy, the Villa San Michele was built at Munthe’s request at the end of the 19th century on the ruins of an old chapel dedicated to Saint Michael. For Axel Munthe, the Villa San Michele was not just a house or a simple vacation home. It represented the fulfillment of his inner dream, a refuge for the soul, a communion with nature, beauty, and above all, a living testament to his values.

In this sense, the villa is truly his legacy, not a legal document, but a living work offered to the world. Munthe personally oversaw the villa’s decoration: ancient statues, Roman columns, mosaics, art objects that he restored or saved from oblivion, each item holds a place not by wealth, but out of love for the past, art and memory. Through this villa, he also conveyed his deep respect for living beings, human and animal alike. It is an open place, outward-looking, where intellectual elitism blends with kindness.

He wrote:

“My home must be open to the sun, the wind and the voice of the sea, like a Greek temple, and clear as a Gothic glass roof.”

At his death, Munthe left no fortune, but a house full of soul. He bequeathed it to Sweden, and today it serves as a place of culture, meeting and memory. This says a lot: He wanted this place to continue inspiring, welcoming and transmitting. In short, the Villa San Michele is his testament as a free man, a doctor, an aesthete and a humanist.

The Story of San Michele

The Story of San Michele, published in 1929, goes far beyond a traditional autobiography. It is a true literary, spiritua, and philosophical testament of Axel Munthe. In this fragmented narrative, made up of memories, anecdotes, reflections and daydreams (written in English despite Munthe being Swedish) he portrays not only his own life but also his ideal of what it means to be a man and a doctor.

However, it is not a linear autobiography: facts are transformed by memory, style and personal meditation. This deliberate blurring between fiction and reality enhances the timeless and contemplative nature of the work. Munthe vigorously defends the values of medical humanism: listening to the patient, the importance of compassion and rejecting purely technical or dehumanized medicine. He critiques social hierarchies and healthcare injustices.

For him, being a doctor is primarily about serving the human being, in both their suffering and dignity. His love for animals, sensitivity to nature and rejection of cruelty (for exempel towards migratory birds he tried to protect in Capri) reflect a broad, sensitive and pioneering humanism.

Already ill while writing the book (he suffered from vision problems and declining health), Munthe poured into it his final convictions, his anger, hopes, as well as his doubts and loneliness. The Story of San Michele can be read as a long farewell letter, a literary testament in which the author attempts to convey what he has understood about the world: beauty, suffering, fragility, and the strength of the spirit.

Axel Munthe passed away on February 11, 1949, at the age of 91, in Stockholm, Sweden, reportedly with a one-way ticket to Capri in his pocket. An Italian journalist wrote that Axel Munthe always kept a ticket to Capri in his pocket, stating that “even dying is different in Capri.” This poetic and revealing image illustrates how dear the island was to him, as an eternal and almost spiritual destination. Almost blind for years and physically weakened, he had withdrawn from public life but remained a respected figure, particularly within Swedish royal circles.

Today, the villa continues to welcome visitors from around the world, and his book continues to move generations of readers. Together, they form a complete legacy: the house for grounding, the words for memory.