Art & Tech

The author explores the complexities of multiple versions of historical artwork and the importance of establishing their origins. They use techniques such as mapping out artwork inheritance trees and AI-based similarity tools to analyze related images. They also discuss the disputed status of the Isleworth Mona Lisa, employing radiocarbon dating and ground analysis to determine its likely creation in the 17th century, refuting claims of it being an original Leonardo piece.

One of the central services that we provide clients with is help in dating (not in the Tinder sense of course!). This is objectively establishing the most likely timeframe within which an artwork was created. Our primary approach here is to look at the material elements of the artwork, using what we know about changes […]

Lucio Fontana’s slashed canvas art sparks debates about simplicity and significance. While some view it as deceptively simple, in reality, it embodies profound ideas and demands sophisticated analysis. Similarly, artists like Albers and Pollock put meticulous effort into their seemingly straightforward creations. The authenticity of such works lies not in a single defining trait, but in a multitude of intricate details.

The use of Raman Spectroscopy in identifying minerals on Mars and in historical paintings was highlighted during a visit to the Open University. This technique, named after Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman, allows for non-invasive examination of pigments, aiding in authenticity cases and art restoration. The visit confirmed the presence of modern titanium dioxide white pigment on a 17th-century painting.

We’ve been working to try and surface relevant information in the Vasarik Artist Network application – released a few weeks ago – which displays relationships between artists, patrons, family members and friends throughout history. The application stores the data and relationships of around 200,000 people, with varying degrees of detail. Some artists are very well […]

The game is well-known: connect any Hollywood actor to Kevin Bacon in as few films as possible. Dreamt up by three friends in the 1990s, it took on a life of its own. Leonard Nimoy? Mr Spock was in Star Trek VI with Leon Russom, who was in He Said, She Said with Kevin Bacon. […]

Our CEO Dr Nicholas Eastaugh and CTO Dr Ian Morgan were on hand to hear the great thought leadership on show at the Art Market 2050 conference last Friday. Insightful panels on the future of collecting, trends in using data, and the cutting edge of online experience for art addressed a vision of future trends […]

The Visual Arts section of the Critics’ Circle held their annual awards ceremony last night, 29th September. Our CEO, Dr Nicholas Eastaugh, was hugely honoured to receive the Denise Sylvester-Carr Unsung Hero Award in recognition of his contributions to the field of art science. As he said in his acceptance speech, unsung no more! There […]

A Leonardo da Vinci painting is stolen in a daring heist at a Scottish castle. This is the incredible inside story of Britain’s biggest art theft and the search for a stolen masterpiece… Look out for the BBC podcast, The Missing Madonna, a gripping account of the theft and recovery of the Duke of Buccleuch’s […]

With everybody in the art business world heading to this year’s Art Business Conference in London on Tuesday the 12th September, we knew we had to be there too! Vasarik resident art historian Thereza Wells will be in attendance all day, so do come up and say hello and ask her more about the exciting […]