Forensic Art Historical Research: an old-master’s sketchbook

Abstract

The thesis focuses on the re-ordering of the Errera Sketchbook, which is significant for the study of early modern art practice. Sketchbooks serve as a crucial tool for artists, helping them train, collect patterns, record travel, and experiment. The Errera Sketchbook’s original order has been disrupted, making it challenging for art historians to study the progression of ideas and techniques within it. This research employs both traditional art historical analysis and advanced image processing techniques, including YOLOv8 for object detection, to restore the sketchbook to its original sequence. The project aims to offer a novel approach to the preservation and study of historical artworks by combining art history with AI technology