What can we learn from artificial intelligence about the art of painting and geoglyphs?

Artificial intelligence made details previously overlooked in Renaissance paintings visible for our eyes. It also uncovered 300 huge drawings traced in the desert of southern Peru that had not been identified.

Italian scientists have discovered in Renaissance paintings that details about the chemical makeup of paints, pigments, and brushstrokes were used. This allowed them to create sfumato effects or chiaroscuro. Even traces from restorations carried out more than two centuries ago were found. The “X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry” in combination with artificial intelligence made this possible.

This method, used for decades, involves bombarding a canvas with X-rays to determine the atoms. The new thing is the combination of this system of analyzing the chemistry in a painting and artificial intelligence. This allows the AI to make unprecedented conclusions based on the massive amount of information obtained by X-rays. This discovery should help restore paintings better in the future.

Geoglyphs spotted in Peru

A Japanese team used AI to find 303 geoglyphs in the Nazca Desert in Southern Peru. Their work was also published in PNAS on Monday, September 23, 2018. Geoglyphs, which are ancient drawings that date back almost 2000 years, represent geometric shapes or animal silhouettes. They can only be viewed from above.

By analyzing aerial photos with the naked eyes, more than 430 geoglyphs have been discovered in the last century. This time around, a Japanese team combined aerial images with artificial intelligence to find 303 giant drawings in just six months. It is a great example of how AI can help archaeologists. The work was published in the highly respected journal of the American National Academy of Sciences.

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