The authorship of artworks has been a topic of debate and controversy for centuries, and now artificial intelligence is entering the fray, offering what it claims to be a more objective analysis than that of human experts. A recent study by Art Recognition, a Swiss firm collaborating with Tilburg University in the Netherlands, challenges the authenticity of two paintings believed to be by the Dutch master Jan van Eyck. These two pieces, which depict Saint Francis receiving the stigmata, are housed in the Royal Museums of Turin and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, respectively.

According to the analysis conducted by AI, the painting held in Turin is deemed to be 86% likely a forgery, and the piece in Philadelphia has a 91% likelihood of being a fake. These findings could have significant implications for the art world, as they not only raise questions about attribution and the role of human expertise in art history but also illustrate the advances that AI technologies are making in fields traditionally dominated by human scholars.

This revelation has sparked discussions within the art community regarding the reliability of AI analyses versus traditional methods. It highlights a growing tension between technological advancements and established art historical practices, pushing for a reconsideration of how the provenance of masterpieces is verified. As technologies evolve, it becomes crucial to strike a balance between the objectivity AI claims to provide and the subjective insights that human experts offer.