Adults’ penchant for Van Gogh mirrored in babies, study finds

Researchers say findings suggest a link between early sensory biases and aesthetic judgments later in life

Whether it is rolling yellow wheat fields or a gnarled and twisted olive tree, Van Gogh's landscapes have long entranced art lovers. Now researchers have found the paintings deemed more pleasant by adults are also more captivating for babies.

The team say their findings suggest certain biases in what we chose to look at are already present in infancy and carry over into adulthood, although life experiences also have an impact on which paintings we end up preferring when we get older.