A group of scientists at the Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France in Valenciennes have published a study introducing a newly developed method that they say will help authenticate artworks—and identify potential forgeries. The report was published in the June 2026 issue of Surface Topography: Metrology and Properties, a peer-reviewed journal that focuses on cross-disciplinary research involving physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering research.

The research, conducted by Francois Berkmans, Ludovic Nys, and Maxence Bigerelle, focuses on how surface metrology—essentially, the texture and topography of a painting’s brushstrokes—can be used like a fingerprint to zero in on the authorship of a particular artwork. Surface metrology, Berkmans explained to Artnet News, “has historically been developed mainly for industrial applications and mechanical engineering” and has not typically be applied in an art authentication context.