Identifying Mimbres Artists: A Quantitative Approach. Issue 4 (November 2015) - Russell, Will G.
Abstract: Past researchers have identified individual styles of painting in Mimbres Black-on-white bowls, leading Steven LeBlanc to recently call for the development of quantitative methods to enable and assess such identifications. We propose such a methodology here. Through a process of pair-wise, micro-stylistic comparisons, bowls painted by a single artist or group of closely cooperating artists are analytically linked in chain-like fashion. Two bowls are attributed to the "same hands" if their similarity measure is at or above 70 percent. Similarity measures are determined by comparing minute details that reflect artistic decisions. The method takes into account diachronic development of artistic skill, subject matter diversity, and the transfer of style across generations. Results can contribute to an understanding of stylistic development, craft specialization, and the role of artists in traditional societies.