Painting authentication by means of a biometric-like approach

Artwork counterfeiting is a wide problem in the art market, both for private subjects and museums. For this reason, it is important to introduce innovative authentication solutions, based on state-of-the-art technologies. In particular, in this paper, the proposed solution is based on a mobile architecture, starting from the consideration that nowadays mobile phones include quality photo and video cameras, access to wireless networks and the internet, GPS assistance and other innovative systems. The proposed solution uses smartphones as simple, robust and efficient sensor for artworks authentication. When we buy an artwork object, the seller issues a certificate of authenticity, which contains specific details about the artwork itself. Unscrupulous sellers can duplicate the classic certificates of authenticity, and then use them to "authenticate" non-genuine works of art. In this way, the buyer will have a copy of an original certificate to attest that the "not original artwork" is an original one. A solution for this problem would be to insert a system that links together the certificate and the related specific artwork. To do this it is necessary, for a single artwork, to find unique, unrepeatable, and unchangeable characteristics. In this article we propose an innovative and non-invasive method for the authentication of artworks based on random intrinsic object characteristics. This approach is based on biometry paradigm (analogue fingerprinting). The paper presents a stand-alone solution, and an internet-based one, necessary for granting security verification also in case of problems with the used RFID tag. The proposed method uses an RFID Tag and a 2D barcode, in conjunction with an Internetbased Authentication Archive.