AI Firm Challenges Authenticity of Van Eyck Paintings, Sparking Dispute with Art Historians

Leading scholar says AI lacks the expertise to properly evaluate the Renaissance master's work.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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A Swiss AI company, Art Recognition, has claimed that two paintings attributed to the Northern Renaissance artist Jan van Eyck are likely fakes, based on an analysis by its AI model. However, a leading Van Eyck expert from Ghent University has strongly refuted these claims, arguing that the AI firm lacks the necessary expertise and that its methods are untrustworthy.

Why it matters

This dispute highlights the ongoing tension between AI-driven authentication efforts and traditional art historical scholarship. It raises questions about the proper use and limitations of AI technology in evaluating the authenticity of Old Master paintings, which often involve complex factors like condition, pigment deterioration, and the role of studio collaborators that may be difficult for AI to fully account for.

The details

Art Recognition's AI model claimed a 91% certainty that the Philadelphia Museum of Art's version of "Saint Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata" is not by Van Eyck's hand, and an 86% certainty for the Royal Museums of Turin's version. However, Van Eyck expert Maximiliaan Martens from Ghent University has strongly criticized these claims, arguing that the AI firm lacks the necessary expertise to properly evaluate the subtleties of Van Eyck's distinctive brushwork, which is often barely visible even to trained art historians. Martens also noted that the AI firm did not consult any recognized Van Eyck scholars in its analysis, and that the company has a history of making dubious claims about the authenticity of famous artworks.

  • The dispute over the authenticity of the two Saint Francis paintings arose in February 2026.

The players

Art Recognition

A Swiss AI company that has frequently made headlines for its claims about the authenticity of famous works of art.

Maximiliaan Martens

A Van Eyck expert from Ghent University who has strongly refuted Art Recognition's claims about the authenticity of the two Saint Francis paintings.

Carina Popovici

The CEO of Art Recognition, who suggested that the museums housing the disputed Van Eyck paintings "won't be happy" with the firm's findings.

Nils Büttner

The chairman of the Centrum Rubenianum in Antwerp, who has described doubts about the authenticity of a Rubens painting raised by Art Recognition as "conspiracy theories".

Royal Museums of Turin

The museum that houses one of the disputed Van Eyck paintings.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

The museum that houses the other disputed Van Eyck painting.

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What they’re saying

“Even when one studies Van Eyck's paintings on a microscopic level, his brushstrokes are barely visible. That is one of the most prominent characteristics of his work!”

— Maximiliaan Martens, Van Eyck expert, Ghent University (The Guardian)

“Does Art Recognition have any clue about this?”

— Maximiliaan Martens, Van Eyck expert, Ghent University (The Guardian)

“These algorithms need to be trained by art historians and conservators who have spent decades studying Van Eyck. None of the recognized Van Eyck scholars have been consulted in this process.”

— Maximiliaan Martens, Van Eyck expert, Ghent University (The Guardian)

“I am afraid the media storm they create now will further hamper their reputation.”

— Maximiliaan Martens, Van Eyck expert, Ghent University (The Guardian)

What’s next

The dispute over the authenticity of the two Van Eyck paintings is ongoing, and it remains to be seen whether Art Recognition will provide a more detailed, peer-reviewed explanation of its methods and findings. The museums that house the disputed paintings have not yet publicly responded to the AI firm's claims.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tension between AI-driven authentication efforts and traditional art historical scholarship. While AI can provide new tools for evaluating artworks, it is clear that the expertise of trained art historians and conservators remains essential in assessing the authenticity of Old Master paintings, which often involve complex factors that may be difficult for AI to fully account for.