Machine Learning Algorithm Studied Fine Art Paintings, Saw Things Art Historians Had Never Noticed

[Bosonic]

Artificial intelligence reveals previously unrecognised influences between great artists

The task of classifying pieces of fine art is hugely complex. When examining a painting, an art expert can usually determine its style, its genre, the artist and the period to which it belongs. Art historians often go further by looking for the influences and connections between artists, a task that is even trickier.

So the possibility that a computer might be able to classify paintings and find connections between them at first glance seems laughable. And yet, that is exactly what Babak Saleh and pals have done at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

These guys have used some of the latest image processing and classifying techniques to automate the process of discovering how great artists have influenced each other. They have even been able to uncover influences between artists that art historians have never recognised until now.

The way art experts approach this problem is by comparing artworks according to a number of high-level concepts such as the artist’s use of space, texture, form, shape, colour and so on. Experts may also consider the way the artist uses movement in the picture, harmony, variety, balance, contrast, proportion and pattern. Other important elements can include the subject matter, brushstrokes, meaning, historical context and so on. Clearly, this is a complex business.

So it is easy to imagine that the limited ability computers have for analysing two-dimensional images would make this process more or less impossible to automate. But Salah and co show how it can be done.

https://medium.com/the-physics-arxiv-blog/when-a-machine-learning-algorithm-studied-fine-art-paintings-it-saw-things-art-historians-had-never-b8e4e7bf7d3e

[Bill USA]

1. amazing! Of course, you realize that someone before long will put this algorithm together with a

programmable paint applicator and produce paintings such as, how Rubens would have painted lady Di, or how van Gogh would have painted the Hudson river valley, or how Gaugin would have painted whats-her-name? the skank who's always showing her gigantic rear end all over the place.

[Xipe Totec]

2. It's been done. His name is Andy Warhol.

[HubertHeaver]

3. Then call the "Warhol". N/T

[chervilant]

7. I was going to address the sexism

in your post (alerting on sexism or misogyny on DU is seldom effective...wonder why? jic) However, I have determined that the best way to avoid seeing/reading sexism on DU is to use my IL, where you are now relegated.

[blackcrow]

12. what sexism? what mysogyny? did something get deleted after your note?

[chervilant]

14. Don't know...

I put that person on my IL, with the other verbal bullies, sexists, racists, misogynists and homophobes I've encountered herein.

[MrScorpio]

10. I'm sorry, but was the sexist language necessary? nt

[marble falls]

13. My question, too.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. So ... toss a possible forgery into the queue, see what the results are ...

could be disappointing, or could be very interesting.

[AlbertCat]

5. Artists influencing other artists

I haven't read the whole thing... just the blurb here.... but the 1st thing that came to my mind was....


Well, y'know Van Gogh cannot influence Van Dyke. Indeed, Van Gogh cannot influence his contemporaries if they never had a chance to see his paintings. Most of those famous paintings before late 19th century weren't in museums.... they were in rich people's dining rooms or in the as yet unheard of artist's studio collecting dust. That combined with the fact that artists can come up with the same techniques and concepts independently.

[jakeXT]

8. I wonder what roles guilds played, it was mentioned in this Vermeer documentary

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guild_of_Saint_Luke

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1y5azy_tims-vermeer_tv

http://vimeo.com/98006829

[AlbertCat]

9. I wonder what roles guilds played, it was mentioned in this Vermeer documentary

Indeed!

Since originality and personal concepts are late 19th & 20th century artistic notions.

[burrowowl]

6. Fascinating!

Very!

[progressoid]

11. hmmm, marking this for a later read.