title: Neural art appraisal of painter: Dali or Picasso?
abstract: One can infer an artist's identity from his or her artworks, but little is known about the neural representation of such elusive categorization. Here, we constructed a 'neural art appraiser' based on machine-learning methods that predicted the painter from the functional MRI activity pattern elicited by a painting. We found that Dali's and Picasso's artworks could be accurately classified based on brain activity alone, and that broadly distributed brain activity contributed to the neural prediction. Our approach provides a new means to probe into complex neural processes underlying art experiences.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamura
authors.forename: Yasuhito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sawahata
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Yukiyasu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kamitani
mesh_terms: D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005197:Famous Persons; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008959:Models, Neurological; D010151:Paintings; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult