Like the awesome and awful power the Rembrandt Institute wields over the art world where its decision on authorship can be the kiss of death even for paintings in London's National Gallery,  so too the Wildenstein Institute of Paris rules over works of art by the great Gauguin.
The Wildenstein are not even willing to look at the six works currently owned by New Zealand art dealer Tony Martin which he claims are authentic, documented Gauguins.
The trouble is that a notorious forgerer of paintings also lives in New Zealand; Karl Sim now retired apparently and living under the new name Carl Fedor Goldie. The work of this 77-year old master forgerer is well known to the Wildenstein Institute and they are quick to dismiss any 'rediscovered' Gauguins that surface in New Zealand and Australia as Sim's work. Goldie (or Sim), himself has strongly denied any involvement.

However Tony Martin has put together an impressive case that even his detractors are willing to give credit to. This is his explanation of provenance : 

1895 - August - it is recorded that Paul Gauguin actually visited New Zealand for between 6 to 10 days
This visit was the subject of  'Gauguin and Maori Art' (Bronwen Nicholoson, 1995)

Not able to pay bills incurred during this sojourn in New Zealand Gauguin did as many artists have done before, including his friend Vincent Van Gogh and paid bills with his works of art as currency.

Letters survive in the hands of descendants of a prominent sea-captain of the time (name with-held by family).

letter dated August 26, 1895 : 

"Mr Gauguin is due to embark on the Richmond for Tahiti but has been delayed due to problems on board." 

 
"This delay has proved to be of some expense to him [and] to avoid charity, I requested Mr Gauguin to paint a scene of Auckland for us. We have agreed that sterling 4 will suffice and I have given him a postcard of Rangitoto Island for the setting." 

1941 -   Following the family legend, an Australian relative of the sea-captain went to Samoa and there found the captain's sea chest that held the six  now disputed pieces (1 oil painting, 4 drawings and a carving). Mr Martin, currently owner of all pieces says that there is a single silver hair entrapped in the bitumen on the base of the carving and he is convinced that  it is from Gauguin he will seek DNA-testing. It might be a hair also from the elderly Karl Sim.

1998 - An elderly couple, relatives of this Australian and direct descendants of Gauguin's friend the sea-captain bring the oil painting of Rangitoto island showig an outrigger canoe sailing on the Waitemata and bearing the signature 'Gauguin' to Mr Martin who runs the ARTSCAPE gallery and who purchases the work from them. This leads him to aquire the other works through the same family. 

2000 - Mr Martin places the six pieces for sale in an exhibition at Auckland's Copthorne Gallery. At the date of writing, none have been sold. 

The upshot of it all is that the accused author Sim, has publically denied having anything to do with the works  currently on exhibition in Auckland and may even sue a New Zealand newspaper who printed strong allegations pointing to his involvement. 

The best authority available in New Zealand on Gauguin is John Perry who curated a major 1995 Gauguin exhibition. Mr Perry has dismissed the works as 'rubbish' and is being very vocal about his disapproval saying "I would stake my reputation upon it." 
 

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