A recent study led by scientists from the University of Bradford suggests that a 500-year-old painting by Raphael, titled “Madonna della Rosa,” contains a portion painted by another artist. The researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze the painting and concluded that the face of Joseph in the artwork was likely painted by someone other than Raphael.
Raphael, a renowned Italian Renaissance master, is known for works such as “The School of Athens” and “Three Graces.” The study, led by Hassan Ugail, director of the Centre for Visual Computing and Intelligent Systems at the University of Bradford, employed an algorithm developed by Ugail to recognize genuine Raphael paintings with 98% accuracy. The algorithm considers 4,000 parameters, including brush strokes, color palette, and hue.
The “Madonna della Rosa” painting, housed in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, has been a subject of debate among art connoisseurs. The study suggests that while the figures of the Madonna, Christ Child, and St. John the Baptist in the painting are unequivocally painted by Raphael, the figure of St. Joseph appears to have been painted by another artist.
The AI analysis adds a new layer to the ongoing discussions about the authenticity and authorship of artworks. Some art historians have expressed skepticism about the use of AI in art analysis, while proponents argue that AI can offer insights and details beyond the capabilities of the human eye. The study builds on previous research that used AI to analyze the authenticity of another Raphael painting, known as the “de Brécy Tondo.”
