Groundbreaking Patent Issued Basis Is Steganography

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The United States Patent and Trademark Office issued Patent # 10,460,412, Authentication of Norman Rockwell Paintings, to Robert L. Stupack of Novato, CA.

The patent covers all original paintings created by Mr. Rockwell after 1942. It is the first and only patent ever issued by the USPTO that quickly authenticates artwork using a personal computer. It identifies a technologically advanced anti-forgery technique created by Mr. Rockwell based upon Steganography, Posterization, and the subtle differences between the standardized color models RBG, CMYK, and HSV.

Mr. Stupack discovered this anti-forgery technique after attempting to authenticate Mr. Rockwell's painting of his studio in West Arlington, VT. This picture did not appear in Norman Rockwell, A Historical Perspective, and was not identifiable by any traditional means.

Stupack, an art aficionado, collector and former forensic accountant, purchased the painting in 1999.

"It took nine months, working seven days a week, to solve this mystery and submit the patent application," explained Stupack.

Mr. Rockwell created a blend of Posterization and Steganography, the art of hiding data in a cover medium, to provide an anti-forgery feature to his paintings. He created CMYK paint colors that matched the RGB color model and used the colors he created to hide his initials.

The human eye does not perceive the slight difference between the CMYK colors and RGB colors, and any variation in shade between the two types of paint does not appear on a photograph taken with a camera since cameras operate on the RGB color model.

Stupack has announced that he is interested in selling both the painting and patent, together or separately.

It is expected that this patent will be of particular interest to insurance companies, museums, corporate/individual collectors and art advisors. The buyer of the patent will also receive 30 days of specialized training from Stupack.

SOURCE Robert L. Stupack