Reason to go to the museum; babies are able to appreciate art too

Researchers at the University of Surrey recently discovered that babies have their own preferences when it comes to paintings. — AFP

MUSEUMS and other cultural institutions are increasingly launching initiatives aimed at children, but less so at babies. And yet, even the youngest infants can be extremely receptive. A new British study, published in the Journal of Vision, even claims that they can demonstrate their artistic preferences at a very early age.

To reach this conclusion, researchers at the University of Surrey conducted an experiment with 25 adults and 25 babies aged between four and nine months. The latter sat on their parents' laps while being shown, on a tablet, 40 landscapes painted by Vincent van Gogh.