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Art Fraudsters Beware: Science Has Found a Way to Tell a Fake Van Gogh from a Real One
Researchers from the UniversitΓ© Polytechnique Hauts-de-France have revealed a technique that successfully analyzed several Vincent van Gogh artworks at a microscopic level to correctly identify well-known, previously identified forgeries from recently authenticated ones
The research team behind the pioneering, non-invasive art authentication process said their approach could provide museums, collectors, and art auction houses with a previously unavailable tool with a proven, scientifically based track record for identifying fake or counterfeit art.
Using Microscopic-Level Surface Scans to Foil Art Forgery
According to a press release announcing the successful counterfeit identification tests, art forgery is an increasingly complex problem. However, the traditional approach of expert opinion combined with historical research and invasive pigment analysis has not always proven successful, with the study authors noting that such methods are βoften inconclusive,β leaving museums and collectors to shoulder most of the risk for difficult-to-authenticate works.
More recently, collectors and auctioneers have turned to science for answers, including a report showing that AI may have identified as many as 40 counterfeit artworks sold on online marketplaces. Although no counterfeit versions of Van Goghβs works were found, that same effort identified potentially fake versions of paintings by Monet and Renoir that were indistinguishable from authentic ones.
In 2023, researchers at the University of Sydney announced the development of a cutting-edge microscope capable of surpassing the diffraction limit. In that story, study co-author Professor Boris Kuhlmey noted that the method, which is ideal for identifying microchip irregularities, βcould even be used to reveal hidden layers in artwork, perhaps proving useful in uncovering art forgery or hidden works.β
Last month, The Debrief reported the discovery of a mathematical pattern in many famous expressionist artworks, noting that many abstract artists may naturally arrange shapes and patterns in similar ways, even without knowing the mathematics behind them. If correct, this concept could use science and mathematics to separate fake Impressionist works.
Now, the UniversitΓ© Polytechnique Hauts-de-France team says their new approach takes modern technology a step further, resulting in an unprecedented level of accuracy.
βFractal Analysis Gives Us a Measurable Fingerprint of an Artistβs BrushworkβΒ
Unlike the above techniques, the new approach analyzes the texture of a paintingβs surface at the microscopic level by converting high-resolution images into three-dimensional surface βmapsβ of the paintingβs upper layers. According to the study authors, the extracted βtextureβ of a painting allows them to measure an imageβs roughness and detail using fractal math. For example, the team said that the subtle patterns of an artistβs brush stroke are so consistent βthat they act like a morphological signature unique to that artist.βΒ
βFractal analysis gives us a measurable fingerprint of an artistβs brushworkΒ without needing to sample or disturb the painting,β explained FrancoisΒ Berkmans, the studyβs lead researcher.
To test their approach, the researchers scanned several artworks attributed to Renaissance artist Vincent van Gogh. The researchers also used their technique to study the mathematical texture of an artwork called The Plowmen, which the team noted is a βwell-documented fake.β Last, they used their method to analyze another Vincent van Gogh work, Sunset at Montmajur, which was authenticated in 2013.
After running their microscopic surface analysis, the teamβs new system identified The Plowmen as a βstrong outlierβ compared to the artistβs other works. Conversely, the new method determined that the two newly authenticated paintings βaligned closely with Van Goghβs known works.β
New Method βStrengthensβ Traditional Analysis as a Complimentary Tool
When discussing the studyβs results, Berkmans said their technique βcan clearly point out genuine artists and reliably detect known forgeries.β Along with identifying fakes and authentic works, the team said that the new approach successfully separated Van Goghβs stylistic signatures from those of 17thβcentury painter David KlΓΆcker Ehrenstrahl, an achievement they heralded as demonstrating the technologyβs βwider potential.βΒ
Although the new approach had successes, the team said it is not designed to replace current approaches, including complementary analyses such as the chemical examination of materials. Instead, they said their surface-texture approach should be used as a complementary tool to strengthen authentication, resulting in a multifaceted approach that can reduce risk for collectors, museums, and auction houses alike.
βThis approachΒ wonβtΒ replace traditionalΒ expertise, but it significantly strengthens it.β
The study βPreserving Van Goghβs Painterly Heritage: Topographical and Fractal Insights in Authenticationβ was published in Surface Topography Metrology and Properties.
Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.
