The effect of beautiful objects on the body

“The effect…of beautiful objects, or variety of objects, & especially of brilliancy of colours is hardly at all appreciated…People say the effect is on the mind. It is no such thing. The effect is on the body, too. Little as we know about the way in which we are affected by form, colour, by light, we do know this, that they have a physical effect. Variety of form & brilliancy of colour in the objects presented to patients are actual means of recovery.”

- Florence Nightingale, Notes on Nursing 1859; included in an All Party Parliamentary report Group on Arts, health & Wellbeing Creative Health: The Arts for Health & Wellbeing 2017.