Using machine learning to reconstruct deteriorated Van Gogh drawings

Researchers at TU Delft in the Netherlands have recently developed a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based model to reconstruct drawings that have deteriorated over time. In their study, published in Springer's Machine Vision and Applications, they specifically used the model to reconstruct some of Vincent Van Gogh's drawings that were ruined over the years due to ink fading and discoloration. "The Netherlands has an international reputation with respect to arts, with famous artists like Rembrandt, Mondrian and Van Gogh," Jan van der Lubbe, one of the researchers who carried out the study, told TechXplore. "Therefore, art historical research and research into how to preserve cultural heritage play an important role in the Netherlands." In recent years, a growing number of researchers have tried to develop machine learning techniques, such as CNNs, for the analysis of artworks. So far, these tools have primarily been used to identify the artist who created specific artworks or to determine whether paintings are real or fake.