Looking at original artworks can produce immediate, positive effects on the body, according to a new study led by King’s College London and commissioned by the Art Fund, a British charity. The research, conducted in partnership with the Psychiatry Research Trust, claims to provide the strongest physiological evidence to date that art can lower stress while also stimulating emotional engagement.
The study followed 50 adults aged 18 to 40 between July and September 2025, who viewed original works by Édouard Manet, Vincent van Gogh, and Paul Gauguin at The Courtauld Gallery in London. The same participants were also shown reproductions of the work in a controlled environment. Participants were monitored using digital wrist sensors and saliva samples to measure heart activity, skin temperature, and hormone and immune markers.
The results showed that cortisol—the body’s primary stress hormone—fell by an average of 22% among the participants who viewed the original artworks, compared with 8% for those who saw reproductions. Levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (stress-related proteins) dropped by nearly a third in the gallery group.
“From a scientific perspective, the most exciting outtake is that art had a positive impact on three different body systems—the immune, endocrine, and autonomic systems—at the same time,” Dr. Tony Woods, researcher at King’s College London, said in a statement. “This is a unique finding and something we were genuinely surprised to see.”
Researchers also found that participants demonstrated physiological signs of excitement as well as a reduction in stress when viewing art. Dips in skin temperature, more variation in heartbeat patterns, and higher overall heart rates were all observed in the trials, indicating bursts of what researchers called “emotional arousal.”
“This study proves for the first time what we’ve long felt at Art Fund – that art really is good for you,” Art Fund director Jenny Waldman said in a statement.
Notably, the responses were not influenced by participants’ personalities or emotional intelligence, pointing to broad, universal benefits. This study builds on an increasing body of research indicating that engaging with art is good for you, mentally, socially, and physically.
“In short, our unique and original study provides compelling evidence that viewing art in a gallery is ‘good for you’ and helps to further our understanding of its fundamental benefits,” Woods continued. “In essence, Art doesn’t just move us emotionally—it calms the body too.”
