AI confirms Raphael's hand in Madonna della Rosa, but not Saint Joseph's face

A study published in Heritage Science used an AI developed by Professor Hassan Ugail of the University of Bradford to analyze Raphael's 1518 painting Madonna della Rosa, housed at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The AI examined brushstrokes, color palette, and other microscopic features, concluding that the figures of the Virgin, Christ, and Saint John the Baptist are unequivocally by Raphael, while Saint Joseph's face was painted by his workshop assistants Giulio Romano and Giovan Francesco Penni. The painting, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's Madonna of the Yarnwinder, has long been debated among art historians. Professor Howell Edwards of the University of Bradford supported the AI's findings. Ugail acknowledged skepticism about AI in art authentication but believes such tools will eventually be welcomed as assistants, not replacements for human experts.