Researchers at King’s College London have found that viewing original artworks can trigger measurable physical changes in the body.
The study was commissioned by the Art Fund, the UK’s national art charity, and supported by the Psychiatry Research Trust, which funds mental health research.
Fifty adults took part in the experiment. Some visited the Courtauld Gallery in London to view original masterpieces by Manet, Van Gogh, and Gauguin, while others viewed identical reproductions in a neutral setting.
Participants’ heart activity, skin temperature, and stress hormones were closely monitored, and saliva samples were collected to measure immune and hormonal responses.
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How the body responds to art
The results surprised the researchers. According to the team at King’s College London, cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, dropped significantly among those who viewed the original works, by just over 20 percent on average, while the reproduction group showed a far smaller change.
At the same time, participants’ heart activity became more variable, a pattern often associated with both emotional arousal and relaxation.
Their skin temperature also dipped slightly, a subtle sign of engagement and excitement.
Even more striking was what happened to the immune system.
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Inflammatory markers known as IL-6 and TNF-alpha, which are linked to stress and chronic illness, fell by nearly 30 percent in the group viewing original art.
No similar effect was observed among those who saw reproductions.
The healing potential of art
According to Tony Woods, one of the lead researchers at King’s College London, the findings show that art can activate three major biological systems at once, the immune, endocrine, and autonomic nervous systems.
The research team noted that these effects were consistent across participants, regardless of their personality type or emotional intelligence, suggesting that the physiological benefits of art may be universal.
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Jenny Waldman, director of the Art Fund, said the results confirm what art lovers have long believed.
"This study proves for the first time what we've long felt at Art Fund – that art really is good for you", she said to the Museums Association.
A new way to think about art
While previous research has linked regular gallery visits to long-term wellbeing, this study is the first to capture real-time physiological reactions to art.
Next time you stand before a painting, it might not just be your mind that’s moved, your body could be responding too.
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Sources: Museums Association, King’s College London, and Artfund.