New Software Can Identify Forged Art

The Times: Artful computer can spot a fake

A new computer technique that can tell a masterpiece from a forgery with unprecedented accuracy has been developed by American scientists.

The new weapon in the fight against art fraud uses digital analysis to capture details of an artist’s characteristic strokes of brush, pen and pencil, which are then combined to produce an “electronic signature” of his style.

This digital blueprint can determine beyond reasonable doubt whether a disputed work was indeed created by the hand of an Old Master as claimed, or whether it is a sophisticated forgery.

It also promises to resolve longrunning arguments about whether many paintings were the work of great figures such as Leonardo da Vinci or Raphael alone, or whether certain sections were completed by assistants.