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AI, ART HISTORY AND VALUATION

Teachable Tools

Evie T.Joselow, PhD

AI Teaching and Learning Symposium, FIT, September 5, 2025

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QUESTIONS [PROMPTS]

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  • AI and Art History

Who is going to write/study art history?

How is AI assisting the study of

art history?

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  • AI and the Art Market

How is AI being used in the art market?

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  • AI in the classroom

How can we teach art history/art market studies using AI?

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What AI tools are available and how can they be applied to art history and art market studies?

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WHAT ABOUT CRITICAL THINKING?

Critical thinking is a necessary part of art historical research, providing both an historical and visual context for understanding.

It is also a necessary skill for art valuation for analyzing and evaluating the authenticity, provenance and historical significance of artworks.

AI REQUIRES A BALANCE BETWEEN HUMAN EXPERTISE AND INTELLIGENCE

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IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE

  • AI uses sophisticated algorithms and computational methods for data analysis and mapping at scale

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  • AI "analyzes" and "processes" enormous datasets including digitized artworks, historical documents, museum records, and scholarly texts for enhanced research

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  • AI uses computer vision to extract measurable data from images: color, brushstroke, forms and shapes, uncovering hidden connections and trends

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  • AI Requires extensive training (memorization) to detect and classify based on subtle patterns, style classifications, format, and compositional details

AI IS AN ALGORITHMIC TOOL- IT IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR FACTS

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AI AND ART HISTORY�Who decides what is understood as the art historical canon?

  • A.I. intelligence is quite different from human intelligence
  • A.I. reduces the evaluative role of the human as well as the expertise of the curator and conservator
  • Computer vision can function in dependently of engagement with the physical object

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What About Connoisseurship?

  • A machine CAN recognize the presence of an artist in the work?
  • A machine CAN learn to distinguish one artist’s work from another?

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Key AI Applications in the Art Market

Art Valuation and Price Prediction:

  • AI algorithms analyze historical sales data, artist popularity and demand, exhibition history, provenance, and image-based details to provide more accurate and real-time valuations.
  • AI algorithms can help collectors identify potentially undervalued works or artists poised for growth.
  • Platforms like Artnet, Artory, Arthur Analytic and Art Dai use AI for predictive analytics.

Market Trend Identification:

  • AI can detect subtle patterns and emerging trends that human analysts might miss, such as shifts in demand for certain artists, styles, or periods.
  • It can track the increasing acceptance and market performance of new art forms, like AI-generated art and NFTs, as well as emerging artists.

Personalized Recommendations:

  • AI-powered platforms can recommend artworks to collectors based on their individual tastes, past purchases, and browse history.

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TEACHING AI IN THE CLASSROOM:�The “Art” of Prompting: From Broad to Narrow

How to ask AI smart questions?

  • Ask Actionable questions
  • Discern Fact from Fabrication
  • Always check validity of sources

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�Some Practical Tools for Professional Practice and Teaching use of AI in the Classroom

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TEACHABLE TOOLS

Teach students how to identify, edit and fact check missing information

Teach students to how to access and use different accessible and subscription databases

Teach students to distinguish validity of source materials

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WORKSHOP #1: Primary and Secondary Sources

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AI and Research: Evaluation of AI Bibliographical resources

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WORKSHOP #2: �Primary and Secondary Markets �AI and Valuation

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WHAT IS THE MARKET FOR

SOL LEWITTS WORKS?

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evie_joselow@fitnyc.edu