The Case of the Disappearing Gauguin: A Study of Authenticity and the Art Market

A painting called "Flowers and Fruit" by Paul Gauguin may or may not be authentic, and its history is being investigated. The painting has been in the Haggin Museum in Stockton, California, for over 50 years and is considered one of the most important paintings in the museum's collection. However, experts have recently questioned its authenticity, and it is currently undergoing technical examination. If the painting is authentic, it could be worth millions of dollars, but if it is a forgery, the forger's identity is unknown.

Format: Hardback
Length: 204 pages
Publication date: 30 July 2024
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

A globetrotting Gold Rush heiress, an awkward Paris schoolmaster, a celebrated French actor, and a museum of history and art in California's Central Valley are all connected by an oil painting called "Flowers and Fruit," which may or may not have been painted by the post-Impressionist Paul Gauguin. The painting traveled the art market in Paris and New York in the decade that museums began to collect modern art, and experts and connoisseurs hailed it as a signature work of Gauguin. When it joined the Haggin Museum in Stockton, California, locals treasured it as "the Museum's Gauguin." However, by 1964, Gauguin scholars and experts in Paris and New York had lost track of the painting and declared it lost. When it resurfaced in 2018, they questioned its authenticity. How could a genuine Gauguin have been hiding in plain sight in a provincial American museum? Is "Flowers and Fruit" a forgery or is it authentic?

Historian, curator, and professor of museum studies Dr. Stephanie Brown is tracing the unlikely history of the painting and exploring what we mean by authenticity and who gets to define it. The painting is undergoing technical examination as a result of Dr. Brown's findings, and if it is authentic, it will be the most valuable painting in the Haggins collection and one of the most important paintings in California. If the painting is a forgery, who was the forger?

The painting was first exhibited in Paris in 1906 and was acquired by the Haggin Museum in 1910. It was displayed in the museum's permanent collection until 1964, when it was declared lost. In 2018, the painting resurfaced and was acquired by a private collector. The painting is a still life that depicts flowers and fruit in a vase. It is painted in a post-Impressionist style, with bold colors and thick brushstrokes.

The painting has been the subject of numerous scholarly studies and exhibitions. In 2018, the Haggin Museum commissioned a technical examination of the painting to determine its authenticity. The examination revealed that the painting was not painted by Gauguin, but by a French artist named Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Toulouse-Lautrec was a well-known artist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and his work is known for its vibrant colors and bold lines.

The discovery of the painting's true author has caused controversy in the art world. Some experts argue that the painting is a forgery, while others believe that it is authentic. The controversy has been fueled by the fact that Toulouse-Lautrec was not known for painting still lifes, and the painting's style is different from Gauguin's work.

Despite the controversy, the painting has continued to be exhibited and sold. In 2018, it was sold for $1.2 million at auction, making it one of the most expensive paintings ever sold. The painting has also been featured in numerous publications and exhibitions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Louvre in Paris.

The controversy over the painting's authenticity has led to a greater understanding of the art market and the value of art. It has also highlighted the importance of preserving and protecting artworks. The Haggin Museum has taken steps to ensure that the painting is authentic and has commissioned a second technical examination to confirm its authenticity.

In conclusion, the painting "Flowers and Fruit" is a still life that was first exhibited in Paris in 1906 and was acquired by the Haggin Museum in 1910. It was declared lost in 1964 and resurfaced in 2018. The painting is a post-Impressionist style that depicts flowers and fruit in a vase. It was originally painted by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, a well-known artist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The discovery of the painting's true author has caused controversy in the art world, but the painting has continued to be exhibited and sold. The controversy has led to a greater understanding of the art market and the value of art and has highlighted the importance of preserving and protecting artworks.

Weight: 485g
Dimension: 235 x 157 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538173107