George Shu, Ph.D. and Alexandre Fong M.Sc.
According to the Fine Arts Experts Institute (FAEI), as much as half of the works in the roughly $60 billion art market are forgeries. Although the authentication process relies mostly on the visual skills of art experts who scrutinize pieces based on style and technique, more scientific technology-based methods are growing in demand and importance as part of the verification process. Hyperspectral imaging provides a convenient and economical means to enhance and possibly obviate such costly and sometimes destructive means.
