AI reveals that £71k 'copy' is a genuine Caravaggio

Artificial intelligence has concluded that a painting dismissed by Sotheby’s and the Metropolitan Museum of Art as a copy is, in fact, by Caravaggio.

- ANNABEL NUGENT

The 17th-century Baroque master, full name Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, is one of the most revered artists in history. Only a few dozen of the Italian painter's works have survived.

A new work can now be added to that list, according to scientific analysis, which has determined that The Lute Player - bought for Badminton House in Gloucestershire in the 18th century - is by Caravaggio, with a probability of 85.7 per cent.

“Everything over 80 per cent is very high,” said Dr Cardina Popovici, the head of Art Recognition, the Swiss company specialising in artwork authentication that carried out the study in collaboration with the University of Liverpool and other partners.

The tests showed a strong match with authenticated paintings, as reported by The Guardian.