In December 2023, a team of British and American researchers used artificial intelligence to examine a famous painting by Raphael, the Madonna of the Rose. This analysis revealed a surprising detail: the face of Saint Joseph, located in the upper left corner of the work, would not have been painted by the Italian master himself. This discovery reignites the debate on the authenticity of certain parts of the painting, a subject which has fascinated experts for more than a century and a half.
AI at the service of artistic analysis
The research team developed a custom analysis algorithm based on Raphael’s authenticated works. This innovative approach combines two artificial intelligence techniques:
- a pre-trained architecture called ResNet50, designed by MicrosoftMicrosoft ;
- a traditional machine learning method called Support Vector Machine (SVM).
Le Dr Hassan Ugail, mathematicianmathematician and computer scientist from the University of Bradford, explains: “ Through in-depth feature analysis, we trained the computer to recognize the stylestyle of Raphaël in great detail, from the brushstrokes to the palette of colorscolorsincluding shading and all aspects of the work ».
This AI analysis method has already proven its effectiveness, with an accuracy rate of 98% in identifying Raphael’s paintings. For this specific study, the work of which was published in Heritage Sciencethe researchers refined the approach by examining not only the work as a whole, but also the faces individually.
A face that intrigues
The analysis of the Madonna of the Rose produced intriguing results. While the faces of the Virgin Mary, the Child Jesus and St. John the Baptist were confirmed to be by Raphael’s hand, that of St. Joseph stood out. Dr Ugail specifies: “ When we tested the “della Rosa” as a whole, the results were inconclusive. So we tested the parts individually, and while the rest of the painting was confirmed to be by Raphael, the face of Joseph was found to most likely not be by him ».
This discovery corroborates long-standing suspicions of historianshistorians of art. In fact, since the mid-19th centurye century, critics expressed doubts about the authenticity of certain parts of the work. The face of Saint Joseph, in particular, has been considered less well executed than the other figures in the painting.
| Table element | Attributed to Raphael |
| Virgin Mary | Oui |
| Baby Jesus | Oui |
| Saint John the Baptist | Oui |
| Saint Joseph | Non |
A collaboration between man and machine
Although AI played a crucial role in this discovery, the researchers emphasize the importance of human expertise in the process of authenticating works of art. Dr Ugail insists: “ This is not a case of AI replacing people’s jobs. The process of authenticating a work of art involves examining many aspects, from its provenance, to the pigments used, to the condition of the work, and more. ».
AI is therefore considered a complementary tool in the arsenal of art experts. It makes it possible to detect microscopic details invisible to theeyeeye nude, thus offering new perspectives on works studied for centuries.
This innovative approach opens the way to new methods of analysis in the field of art history. It could help resolve other mysteries linked to the authenticity or attribution of famous works, enriching our understanding of the world’s artistic heritage.
The alliance between artificial intelligence and human expertise promises to revolutionize our approach to art and history, revealing secrets buried for centuries and offering a new look at the masterpieces that shaped our culture.
