Can’t take my eyes off you

How does looking at art work exactly?

What happens in your brain when you look at art? To investigate this, we performed an EEG measurement on test subjects, to monitor their brain waves. Electrodes were placed on the heads of participants to measure brain activity. Then they looked at paintings in the Mauritshuis and reproductions of the same images.

We used eye tracking to keep track of what they were looking at. Afterwards, test subjects looked at reproductions of the same paintings in an MRI scanner at the University of Amsterdam.

What did we find? Looking at art is good for your brain. Independent brain scientist Erik Scherder explains what happens in your brain when you look at art.

What's the secret of the 'Girl with a Pearl Earring'?

Neuroscientist Martijn den Otter, from Neurofactor, investigated this together with research agency Neurensics.

Why can't you take your eyes off her, exactly? People are naturally focused on faces. When you look at someone's face - even if it's someone in a photo or painting - your brain automatically tries to decipher that person's emotion. That's how you determine whether someone is 'safe' or not.

Johannes Vermeer exploits this mechanism and does something clever with it. He creates a Sustained Attentional Loop: his Girl with a Pearl Earring not only catches your gaze, but also traps your attention in a loop.

Normally, you automatically look at someone's eyes and mouth. They give you the most information about emotions. When you look at the Girl with a Pearl Earring, something extra happens: you first look at her eyes and mouth and then immediately at her pearl. You return to her eyes and mouth, and then immediately look at the pearl again. And you don't do that just once, not twice, but several times in a row.

Why did we investigate this?

Do you have a version of Girl with a Pearl Earring at home? You are definitely not alone, you see her everywhere! We started wondering about the added value of looking at the real painting, when there are so many reproductions around you all the time.

The value of this research

Technical art historian Liselore Tissen is doing her PhD on the significance of replicas for field of Art History. She is involved in this research as an independent scientist.

This particular research really centralizes the visitor. And by doing that, you see that it is not just about the artwork, but also about the space, the light, the frame, etc. This proves that a museum visit is vital for the experience of art.

Want to learn more?

Would you like to read the full report? For example, because you are studying art history, are working in the field, or simply because the subject fascinates you? Then send us a quick email via the button below or email pressoffice@mauritshuis.nl.

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Experience it yourself

Come visit the Mauritshuis in The Hague and discover the magnetic appeal of Girl with a Pearl Earring.