Picture of health: going to art galleries can improve wellbeing, study reveals

Van Gogh’s self portrait at the Courtauld Gallery in London. The study’s findings suggest art has a calming effect on the body’s inflammatory responses. Photograph: Tristan Fewings/Getty Images

Enjoying original works of art in a gallery can relieve stress, reduce the risk of heart disease and boost your immune system, according to the first study of its kind.

Researchers measured the physiological responses of participants while viewing masterpieces by world-renowned artists including Manet, Van Gogh and Gauguin in a gallery.