The impulse to race around a gallery and take in as many wonderful paintings as possible can be hard to resist.
But art enthusiasts are being urged to slow down and take a lingering, meditative look at one of the great self-portraits when it is taken on an unhurried tour of England.
Over the next year, the National Trust is sending a Rembrandt on a trip across England from its home, Buckland Abbey in Devon, aiming to boost the mental wellbeing of those who see it.
People will be able to view the painting, Self-Portrait Wearing a White Feathered Bonnet, from seats chosen for comfort and an audio guide will include a guided meditation option.
Dr Amy Orrock, a National Trust curator, said the charity had thought carefully before plumping for a portrait rather than a landscape for the project.
“The slow looking approach often is applied to landscapes, but we felt it would work really well with this painting because it’s so wonderful, sumptuous and rich.
“It’s quite dark when you first look at it, but the more time you spend with it, you notice details gleaming out of the dark. He has this gorgeous velvet cape with a jewelled trim and he’s wearing a Spanish real, a coin, around his neck, and this metal gorget [covering the throat], which glints.
“I think spending time dwelling on those details is really rewarding and there’s also this amazing unknowable quality about his face. He’s almost holding something back. I think it’s a fun one for people to engage with it because they’re meeting Rembrandt so there’s a sense of direct interaction.”
The average museum or gallery visitor is said to spend just eight seconds looking at each artwork.
“People want to feel like they’ve seen everything,” Orrock said. “What we’re doing is trying to provide lots of different ways into the picture.”
While the mental health benefits of being in nature are widely known, the expectation is that drinking in the Rembrandt will offer similar restorative effects.
“We’re hoping it will provide that sort of escape from reality and that moment to have a bit of time out,” said Orrock. “It’s about giving people permission to stop and look – people can relax for as long as they like with the picture.”
The tour, Meet Rembrandt: A Slow Looking Experience, starts at Kingston Lacy, Dorset, on Friday before heading to Dunham Massey in Cheshire in March 2026 and Upton House in Warwickshire in July next year.
Visitors will have the option to explore the painting’s history through audio guides featuring insights from conservators, art historians, and even imagined reflections from Rembrandt himself.
But one of the guide’s channels will be devoted to a “slow looking guided meditation”. Orrock said: “There’s a gong and a soothing voice. You’re encouraged to think about your physical state while you’re looking at the picture, things like putting both feet on the floor, taking a deep breath, just letting your eyes travel over the painting. There’s not a right or wrong thing to see – it’s just about allowing yourself that time with the picture and seeing what comes out for you.”
