A new mathematical program would be able to recognize this painting as a signature Vincent van Gogh. But could it ever call it a masterpiece?
-- Bryn Nelson"; Tech_Frontiers_ArtAppreciation_080225[i++] = new Array("","Mathematical matching","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080219/080219-ArtDetect-intro.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Courtesy Of Daniel Keren", "University of Haifa", "273", "290", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_ArtAppreciation_080225[i-1].body = "Mathematical matching
A mathematical program may help match some of the world’s greatest painters with their authentic works, pointing out forgeries in the process. Above, Vincent van Gogh’s “Wheat Field with Cypresses” is artificially colored on a computer after a classification of his style (pink pixels) versus Salvador Dali’s (blue pixels). The predominance of pink reflects the dominance of van Gogh’s typically wavy structures.
";
Tech_Frontiers_ArtAppreciation_080225[i++] = new Array("","A painter's style","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080219/080219-ArtDetect-1.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Courtesy Of Daniel Keren", "University of Haifa", "273", "217", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
Tech_Frontiers_ArtAppreciation_080225[i-1].body = "A painter's style
This overlay of a van Gogh self-portrait and a Dali painting was used by University of Haifa computer scientist Daniel Keren in his initial classifications of each painter’s stylistic elements. In this case, Dali pixels are pinkish, van Gogh pixels are bluish and unclassified pixels remain a neutral gray.
";
Tech_Frontiers_ArtAppreciation_080225[i++] = new Array("","Computer classification","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080219/080219-ArtDetect-2.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Courtesy Of Daniel Keren", "University of Haifa", "226", "423", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
Tech_Frontiers_ArtAppreciation_080225[i-1].body = "Computer classification
An excerpt from Dali’s painting, “Tuna Fishing,” which has been converted to gray hues for the purposes of a math-based classification. Note the use of vertical lines on the upper left versus the sweep of the woman’s arm on the lower right."; Tech_Frontiers_ArtAppreciation_080225[i++] = new Array("","Dali vs. van Gogh","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080219/080219-ArtDetect-3.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "230", "423", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); Tech_Frontiers_ArtAppreciation_080225[i-1].body = "Dali vs. van Gogh
The same “Tuna Fishing” painting excerpt, after a Dali versus van Gogh classification. Dali-like pixels are pinkish, whereas van Gogh-like pixels are in blue. Wavy areas, as expected, are considered more akin to van Gogh, like the general outline of the woman’s arm on the lower right. But the three vertical lines on the upper left are strongly identified with Dali.
";
Tech_Frontiers_ArtAppreciation_080225[i++] = new Array("","Dali vs. Magritte","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photo_StoryLevel/080219/080219-ArtDetect-4.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Courtesy Of Daniel Keren", "University of Haifa", "232", "423", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
Tech_Frontiers_ArtAppreciation_080225[i-1].body = "Dali vs. Magritte
Finally, the same “Tuna Fishing” painting excerpt after a Dali versus Magritte classification. Dali-like pixels are again pinkish, whereas Magritte-like pixels are colored in blue. Interestingly, the three vertical lines on the upper left are now strongly identified with Magritte rather than Dali. Taken together, that classification can be summarized like this: the tendency to use straight lines was stronger for Dali than it was for van Gogh, but not as strong as for Magritte."; // END editorial data