Art as medicine: Viewing paintings helps mental health, study finds

Art as medicine: Viewing paintings helps mental health, study finds

Looking at a piece of art—whether a swirling Van Gogh sky or Munch’s haunting scream—might do more than just please the eye. A growing body of research now shows that simply viewing art can improve mental health and help people feel more fulfilled. For years, scientists believed making art had positive effects, but they knew less about the benefits of just looking at it. That gap is now closing. A new scientific review gathered nearly 40 studies…