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Fine art authentication

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Fine art authentication is a process that ensures the integrity of artworks, preserves cultural heritage, and maintains trust in the art market. By combining traditional methods, scientific advancements,[1][2] and emerging AI[3] and Blockchain technologies,[4] art authentication can offer accurate attributions and protect the artistic legacy for future generations.[5] It consists of proving the authenticity of an artwork and its attribution to a specific artist.[6] This process involves determining the origin, authorship, and historical significance of a piece of art. The proliferation of art forgeries and the increased skill of the forgers who are aware of what scientific analysis reveals requires a rigorous approach to fine art authentication.[7][8]

History

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The requirement for art authentication has been a historical practice, evolving over centuries alongside the growing recognition of artists and the increasing value associated with their creations. During the Renaissance,[9] the authentication of artworks was primarily based on the artist's style, brushstrokes, and technical mastery. Nevertheless, distinguishing between the original and the copy often proved challenging.[10] As art markets expanded globally and new artistic movements emerged, the authentication process became more intricate.[11]

Documentation examination involves scrutinizing the authenticity and accuracy of supporting paperwork, including certificates of authenticity, exhibition, and gallery records, as well as correspondence.

Art authentication is a complex and multifaceted process, often accompanied by challenges and controversies. Some of the key issues include:[11][12]

Thierry Lenain[13] asserts that a forger's goal is to mislead the public into believing that the generated work of art is something else entirely.[14]

Throughout the 20th century, scientific methodologies were integrated into art authentication, resulting in significant advancements. Experts were able to examine artwork beyond their surface layers with the use of techniques such as radiography, infrared imaging, and ultraviolet analysis.[15][16] In the 21st century, the field of art authentication has progressed significantly due to digital imaging, computer-based analysis and Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration. These technological advancements have enabled new possibilities for obtaining insights into the pigments, materials and features of artwork. Computer analysis, powered by AI algorithms and data-driven assessments, compares works of art to extensive databases, facilitating pattern-based learning.[16]

Methods of authentication

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Radiocarbon dating, also known as carbon-14 dating, is a scientific method that can accurately determine the age of organic materials up to about 60,000 years old. This technique, first developed by Willard Libby in Chicago in the late 1940s, is based on the decay of the carbon-14 isotope. Radiocarbon dating led to the “radiocarbon revolution” in archaeology and it has been useful also in the domain of art history.[17]

Documentation and Expert Opinions: Documentation examination involves scrutinizing the authenticity and accuracy of supporting paperwork, including certificates of authenticity, exhibition, and gallery records, as well as correspondence. Art authentication also relies on the expertise and opinions of specialists, scholars, curators, and artists familiar with a particular artist or artistic style. Their insights, along with supporting documents, scholarly publications, and catalog raisonnés, contribute to the overall evaluation of an artwork’s authenticity.[18]

Artificial Intelligence: Digital technologies have enabled the analysis of intricated details such as brushstrokes, color palettes, and stylistic elements unique to individual artists. AI systems can identify patterns in vast amounts of data. This capability enables experts to detect potential forgeries and differentiate genuine artworks from imitations. AI algorithms can process and interpret diverse data sets, facilitating a data-driven approach.[3][19]

Challenges in Authenticating Art

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Art authentication is a complex and multifaceted process, often accompanied by challenges and controversies. Some of the key issues include:[12]

Subjectivity and Interpretation: Art authentication is inherently subjective, relying on the individual expertise of scholars and specialists and varied interpretations.

A prominent example highlighting this issue is the debate surrounding the Salvator Mundi, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. This painting has become a focal point for discussions on attribution, with some experts contesting its provenance and others defending it. Such examples accentuate the varying perspectives and the sometimes polarizing nature of art attribution.[20]

Forgery: The art world has witnessed numerous cases of skilled forgers who replicate famous artworks with precision. Moreover, forgers now can employ generative AI to produce imitations that mimic the style of a particular artist. However, a study has shown that AI technology can detect digital forgeries produced by a generative AI, if AI-generated imitations are fed into the training.[21]

Lack of Standardization: There is not a universally accepted standard or governing body for art authentication. The art world, of course, is an unaffiliated consortium of art historians, curators, merchants of varying stripes.[22] This lack of standardization can result in disparities in authentication practices and varying levels of confidence in attributions.[23]

Legal and Ethical Considerations: Authenticating an artwork can have legal and financial implications. Authentication can influence an artwork's value, ownership disputes, and copyright issues. Balancing the interests of artists, collectors, scholars, and the art market while maintaining transparency and fairness is a complex ethical challenge. Lawsuits against the authenticator who dashed their hopes are common.[23]

Restoration: Restoration involves any attempts made to repair or conserve a painting by altering its original surface with later additions. When a painting undergoes restoration, it can pose challenges for its authentication. The restoration process may modify or obscure the original elements of the artwork, making it difficult to determine its authenticity accurately.

Training images in AI-based authentication methods: Training datasets are preeminent for the success of AI training as well as the AI assessment of an artwork’s authenticity. Acquiring a diverse and comprehensive collection of high-quality training images can be difficult. Insufficient or limited training data can result in the AI model lacking the necessary knowledge to make accurate authenticity assessments.

References

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  1. ^ Pattern recognition applied in fine art authentication (in Portuguese). MAXWELL. 2002.
  2. ^ What is Carbon Dating? University of Chicago News, 2023-04-27. Retrieved 2023-08-15
  3. ^ a b Schaerf, Ludovica; Popovici, Carina; Postma, Eric (2023). "Art Authentication in Vision Transformers". Neural Computing and Applications. 36 (20): 11849–11858. arXiv:2307.03039. doi:10.1007/s00521-023-08864-8.
  4. ^ Whitaker, Amy (2019-10-18). "Art and Blockchain: A Primer, History, and Taxonomy of Blockchain Use Cases in the Arts". Artivate: A Journal of Entrepreneurship in the Arts. 8 (2): 21–46. doi:10.1353/artv.2019.0008. ISSN 2164-7747.
  5. ^ "How artificial intelligence affects the art insurance industry - Insurance Post". www.postonline.co.uk. 2023-04-05. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  6. ^ "Fraud and forgery in the world of fine art". www.wbur.org. 28 April 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  7. ^ Rahm, Danielle. "Warhols, Pollocks, Fakes: Why Art Authenticators Are Running For The Hills". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  8. ^ Malaviya, Nalini S. "The fine art of authenticity". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  9. ^ Cartwright, Mark, Mark (2020-07-10). "Copies & Fakes in Art during the Renaissance". World History Encyclopedia.
  10. ^ Mould, Philip (2010). The Art Detective: Fakes, Frauds, and Finds and the Search for Lost Treasures. Viking Adult. New York. ISBN 978-0670021857.
  11. ^ Jen Baker (2021-07-27), "Professional Painting Assessment: Pigment Analysis". Fine Art Restoration Company. Retrieved 2023-08-15
  12. ^ a b Charney, Noah (2015). The Art of Forgery: The Minds, Motives and Methods of Master Forgers. Phaidon Press. ISBN 978-0714867458.
  13. ^ Lenain, Thierry (2011). Art Forgery: The History of a Modern Obsession. Reaktion Books. ISBN 978-1861898500.
  14. ^ Calcani, Giuliana (2022). "The Cultural Pollution of the Fake: The case of the Pseudo-Ancient Bronze of an "Artisan" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art". In Salvadori, Monica; Bernard, Elisa; Zamparo, Luca; Baggio, Monica (Eds.). Beyond Forgery. Collecting, Authentication and Protection of Cultural Heritage. Padova. ISBN 978-88-6938-292-5 – via Padova University Press.
  15. ^ Eastaugh, Nicholaus (2010). "Authenticity and the Scientific Method Past Approaches, Present Problems and Future Promise". InCoRM Journal. 1 (1). S2CID 160029944.
  16. ^ a b "New tools are making it easier to authenticate paintings". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  17. ^ "Radiocarbon Dating". American Chemical Society. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  18. ^ "AUTHENTICATIONS AND ATTRIBUTIONS". College Art. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  19. ^ Sula, Dea (20 September 2023). "New Tools for Old Problems: Artificial Intelligence as a New Due Diligence and Authentication Tool for the Art Market?". Center for Art Law. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  20. ^ Marsham, Rebecca. "Defining Transparency In The Art Market". MYARTBROKER. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  21. ^ Ostmeyer, Johann; Schaerf, Ludovica; Buividovich, Pavel; Charles, Tessa; Postma, Eric; Popovici, Carina (2024). "Synthetic images aid the recognition of human-made art forgeries". PLOS ONE. 19 (2): e0295967. arXiv:2312.14998. Bibcode:2024PLoSO..1995967O. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0295967. PMC 10866502. PMID 38354162.
  22. ^ Rahm, Danielle. "Lack Of Authenticating Expert Renders Valuable Artwork Practically Worthless". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  23. ^ a b Art, Critique (20 March 2020). "The Enduring Challenges of Authenticating Art". ART CRITIQUE. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
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