Fine art authentication

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,{{Cite journal |last=Cartwright, Mark |first=Mark |date=2020-07-10 |title=Copies & Fakes in Art during the Renaissance |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1625/copies--fakes-in-art-during-the-renaissance/ |journal=World History Encyclopedia}} 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.{{Cite book |last=Mould |first=Philip |title=The Art Detective: Fakes, Frauds, and Finds and the Search for Lost Treasures |publisher=Viking Adult. New York |year=2010 |isbn=978-0670021857}} As art markets expanded globally and new artistic movements emerged, the authentication process became more intricate.Jen Baker (2021-07-27), [https://fineart-restoration.co.uk/news/professional-painting-assessment-pigment-analysis/ "Professional Painting Assessment: Pigment Analysis".] Fine Art Restoration Company. Retrieved 2023-08-15

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]{{Cite book |last=Charney |first=Noah |title=The Art of Forgery: The Minds, Motives and Methods of Master Forgers |publisher=Phaidon Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-0714867458}}

Thierry Lenain{{Cite book |last=Lenain |first=Thierry |title=Art Forgery: The History of a Modern Obsession |publisher=Reaktion Books |year=2011 |isbn=978-1861898500}} asserts that a forger's goal is to mislead the public into believing that the generated work of art is something else entirely.{{Cite journal |last=Calcani |first=Giuliana |date=2022 |title=The Cultural Pollution of the Fake: The case of the Pseudo-Ancient Bronze of an "Artisan" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art |journal=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}}

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.{{Cite journal |last=Eastaugh |first=Nicholaus |date=2010 |title=Authenticity and the Scientific Method Past Approaches, Present Problems and Future Promise |journal=InCoRM Journal |volume=1 |issue=1|s2cid=160029944 }} 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.{{Cite news |title=New tools are making it easier to authenticate paintings |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/books-and-arts/2021/01/07/new-tools-are-making-it-easier-to-authenticate-paintings |access-date=2023-12-11 |issn=0013-0613}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Radiocarbon Dating |url=https://www.acs.org/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/radiocarbon-dating.html |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=American Chemical Society |language=en}}

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.{{Cite web |title=AUTHENTICATIONS AND ATTRIBUTIONS |url=https://www.collegeart.org/standards-and-guidelines/guidelines/authentications |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=College Art}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Sula |first=Dea |title=New Tools for Old Problems: Artificial Intelligence as a New Due Diligence and Authentication Tool for the Art Market? |url=https://itsartlaw.org/2023/09/20/new-tools-for-old-problems-artificial-intelligence-as-a-new-due-diligence-and-authentication-tool-for-the-art-market/ |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=Center for Art Law|date=20 September 2023 }}

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

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.{{Cite web |last=Marsham |first=Rebecca |title=Defining Transparency In The Art Market |url=https://www.myartbroker.com/investing/articles/transparency-in-the-art-market |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=MYARTBROKER}}

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.{{Cite journal |last1=Ostmeyer |first1=Johann |last2=Schaerf |first2=Ludovica |last3=Buividovich |first3=Pavel |last4=Charles |first4=Tessa |last5=Postma |first5=Eric |last6=Popovici |first6=Carina |title=Synthetic images aid the recognition of human-made art forgeries |journal=PLOS ONE |date=2024 |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=e0295967 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0295967 |doi-access=free |pmid=38354162 |pmc=10866502 |arxiv=2312.14998 |bibcode=2024PLoSO..1995967O }}

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.{{Cite web |last=Rahm |first=Danielle |title=Lack Of Authenticating Expert Renders Valuable Artwork Practically Worthless |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/daniellerahm/2013/05/16/lack-of-authenticating-expert-renders-valuable-artwork-practically-worthless/?sh=7d0364b4264e |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=Forbes}} This lack of standardization can result in disparities in authentication practices and varying levels of confidence in attributions.{{Cite web |last=Art |first=Critique |title=The Enduring Challenges of Authenticating Art |url=https://www.art-critique.com/en/2020/03/art-authentication-today/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=ART CRITIQUE|date=20 March 2020 }}

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.

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.

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Category:Authentication

Category:Works of art

Category:Visual arts