Art experts cast serious doubt on a Goldie portrait set to sell for $420,000
Summary
Six art experts and auctioneers have told RNZ they doubt a rediscovered Goldie portrait listed at $420,000 is genuine, while the Christchurch dealer stands by it. A portrait of a Te Arawa chief that vanished from public view for more than a century has become the centre of a very public argument about whether it is the work of Charles Frederick Goldie at all. The painting, titled Lost in Thought, Ngāheke, An Arawa Chieftain, is being offered by the Christchurch dealer NZ artbroker with a price of about $420,000, and a public viewing is set down for Thursday 23 July. Before a single bid has been placed, six art experts and auctioneers have told RNZ they do not believe it is a genuine Goldie.