Slow looking, deep feeling: the National Trust invites mindful viewing through Rembrandt ‘selfie’

As part of the initiative to encourage new ways of engaging with paintings, it is expected that visitors will discover the mental health benefits of 'slow looking' at art, which include helping deal with the demands of a busy world.

The tour begins at Kingston Lacy in Dorset this September and the painting will travel to Cheshire and Warwickshire before returning to its home, Buckland Abbey in Devon.

A number of recent studies have shown that exploring art and heritage has the potential to improve people’s mental health. The benefits can include helping to escape the mental trappings of day-to-day living, reduce stress, foster emotional resilience, and even spark feelings of inspiration and enlightenment.

While the mental health benefits of being in nature are widely known, the National Trust is encouraging people to discover how art and heritage can offer similar restorative effects.

The average museum or gallery visitor spends just eight seconds looking at each artwork. The Trust is challenging that norm by offering seating and audio guides with meditative prompts that encourage viewers to linger with Rembrandt’s masterpiece. The painting will be shown with room to allow people to focus on the work on its own, allowing space for uninterrupted contemplation.

'Slow looking is about more than just taking your time,' said Amy Orrock, National Trust curator. 'It’s a way of being present, of noticing the details and the emotions they generate that might otherwise pass us by. You’re not just seeing - you’re feeling, thinking, connecting.'

'This self-portrait is the perfect companion for a slow looking experience. It invites you to look closer, to wonder what Rembrandt was contemplating, and maybe to reflect on your own state of mind.'

The painting itself has a remarkable story. Once thought to be the work of a follower, it was reattributed to Rembrandt himself after extensive conservation and scientific analysis in 2013. It is now recognised as one of the great treasures of the National Trust’s collection.

John Chu, Senior National Curator for Pictures and Sculptures explained: 'Rembrandt created around 80 self-portraits throughout his career, each giving a different insight into his character. In this picture he is really swaggering, hand on hip, wearing a fancy costume and large hat. But there is also something tentative about the way he looks back at us, and the way the shadow falls across his face feels mysterious.'

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, or to simply sit quietly and enjoy spending time with a masterpiece of Dutch art.

Amy Orrock concludes: 'One of the major goals of the National Trust’s strategy is to grow people’s access to cultural heritage and this is one way we are exploring that.

'It is a chance for us to understand what visitors enjoy in paintings like this and what information helps them to understand the artwork best. And whether a slow looking approach provides a welcome and mindful pause from the constant rush of life.'

The Rembrandt tour starts at Kingston Lacy, from 12 September 2025 - 16 November 2025 when the painting will be shown in the Spanish Room where there are also seventeenth-century masterpieces by Murillo and Velazquez. It returns after Christmas from 12 January – 22 March 2026.

It will then head north to Dunham Massey in Cheshire from Fri 27 Mar 2026 - Sun 12 July 2026 and then to Upton House in Warwickshire from Fri 17 July 2026 - Sun 8 Nov 2026.

‘Meet Rembrandt: A slow looking experience’ is included in the house admission price. No pre-booking is required.