Original Art Stimulates the Brain More Than Reproductions, Study Finds

The results showed that real-life artworks activated the precuneus, the part of the brain associated with self-reflection. “Girl with a Pearl Earring” elicited the strongest response, inducing “deeper personal engagement and self-reflections” than the other works tested, according to the report. The pattern of artworks inducing stronger positive re

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Researchers outfitted 20 subjects, ranging in age from 21 to 65, with eye-tracking equipment and an electroencephalography (EEG) brain scanner and showed them five original works in the museum and poster replicas from the museum gift shop in varying order. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans recorded participants’ brains to identify emotions tri

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