Such is the aim of a program at The Russian Museum reports local newspaper the St. Petersburg Times. Together with obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. Marina Komova the gallery runs special, uniquely themed tours for pregnant women, purposefully avoiding paintings that may evoke negative emotions in mother and unborn baby, such as those depicting blood, death, illness, or [I assume] George W. Bush.
The long-term goal behind the project is that of breeding future generations appreciative of art from the cradle onwards. Strange as the scheme sounds, though, it apparently works, with those toddlers who were exposed to the aforementioned prenatal art history lessons reacting more favourably than their peers or older children when presented with a painting.
Of course, what I really want to know is whether or not there’s any link between Stendhal syndrome and water breaking . . . .
