COULD YOUR ARTWORK BE BY PAUL GAUGUIN?

Previously unknown works by important artists continue to emerge from private collections, estates, inheritances, and long-held family possessions. While authentic works by Paul Gauguin may be rare and are subject to considerable scholarly and market scrutiny, every work deserves to be evaluated on its own merits rather than dismissed simply because it is unfamiliar or undocumented.

If you believe your painting, drawing, watercolor, print, sculpture, or ceramic may be by Paul Gauguin, obtaining an independent professional opinion is the appropriate first step.

We have specialized in the authentication of works attributed to Paul Gauguin since 2002. We issue Certificates of Authenticity (COAs), Authentication Reports, appraisals, valuations, provenance reports, and provide buying, selling, brokerage, and investment advisory services for collectors, attorneys, insurers, financial institutions, estates, museums, and private clients worldwide.

Getting started is straightforward. Simply send us photographs of the work together with its dimensions and any information you have regarding its history or ownership. After reviewing the material, we will recommend the most appropriate course of action.

AUTHENTICATION

Is this a Paul Gauguin?

From a single photograph of ordinary quality, we can often determine whether a work appears broadly consistent with Gauguin’s work or whether it clearly does not. A first impression may not be definitive because Gauguin worked across an unusually wide range of media, including oil painting, watercolor, drawing, woodcut, monotype, sculpture, and ceramics. His technique and imagery also evolved considerably between his early Impressionist period, his years in Brittany and Martinique, and his later work in Polynesia.

What services do you provide?

We provide authentication, certification, Certificates of Authenticity (COAs), Authentication Reports, appraisals and valuations, provenance research, private sales and brokerage, investment advice, and analytical art market research.

Is it possible to discover a previously unknown Paul Gauguin today?

Yes. Gauguin produced paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, ceramics, illustrated manuscripts, and experimental works in other media, and previously undocumented objects can potentially survive in private collections and estates. However, because Gauguin is one of the most extensively studied artists of the late nineteenth century, any proposed discovery requires particularly careful examination of provenance, materials, technique, chronology, and the existing scholarly literature.

Do I need to get my Paul Gauguin authenticated?

Yes. Authentication is particularly important for an artist of Gauguin’s international significance. A credible attribution can have an enormous effect on market value and may also be important for insurance, estate planning, charitable donations, financing, and legal purposes.

Is it complicated to get a Paul Gauguin authenticated?

Not for you. Simply send us photographs of the front and reverse, close-up photographs of important details, signatures and inscriptions, dimensions, labels, stamps, seals, and anything you know about the work’s history. For works on paper, include photographs of the complete sheet, edges, reverse, and any watermarks or collector’s marks. For sculpture and ceramics, photographs from multiple angles, including the underside and all marks, are important. The investigation itself is our responsibility.

How long does it take to authenticate a Paul Gauguin?

It depends on how much is already known about the work when we begin the investigation. In relatively straightforward cases, an initial conclusion may be possible within a few weeks. More complex cases involving archival research, provenance reconstruction, technical examination, or scientific testing may require several months.

How much does it cost to authenticate a Paul Gauguin?

From the low hundreds to the high thousands. It depends on how much is already known and documented, where relevant archives and comparative works are located, and whether travel, laboratory examination, or specialized scientific testing is required.

Can a signature alone prove that a Paul Gauguin artwork is authentic?

No. A signature can never establish authorship by itself. Gauguin’s signatures, monograms, inscriptions, dates, and titles must be assessed in relation to the work’s technique, materials, support, provenance, and chronology. Signatures can also be added to genuine period works by another hand or copied onto later works.

Can an unsigned Paul Gauguin artwork still be authentic?

Yes. The absence of a signature does not by itself exclude an attribution to Gauguin. Technique, materials, composition, support, provenance, chronology, and comparison with securely documented works must all be considered.

What documents help authenticate a Paul Gauguin artwork?

Any document that mentions, describes, illustrates, or refers to the work may assist the authentication. Photographs, invoices, correspondence, collection inventories, exhibition catalogues, gallery records, customs documents, restoration or conservation reports, insurance records, auction catalogues, and family papers can all contribute valuable evidence.

Can a Paul Gauguin artwork be authenticated from photographs?

High-quality photographs can provide an important preliminary basis for evaluation. They allow us to examine composition, handling, surface characteristics, signatures, inscriptions, labels, stamps, condition, and other visible features. For a potentially important Gauguin, however, final conclusions may require physical examination, provenance research, comparison with documented works, and scientific analysis.

Is it always necessary to perform scientific analyses of a Paul Gauguin?

No. Some works can be evaluated through provenance research, documentary evidence, comparative analysis, and technical examination. In difficult or potentially important cases, however, scientific analysis can be particularly valuable. Pigments, binders, canvas, wood, paper, ceramic materials, and other physical evidence may help establish whether an object is compatible with the proposed date and circumstances of production.

What if my Paul Gauguin has no provenance?

Incomplete provenance does not automatically disqualify a work, but it makes the investigation more demanding. For an artist as important and extensively studied as Gauguin, an unexplained gap in ownership history must be treated carefully. Research may involve historic collections, dealers, exhibitions, auction catalogues, correspondence, photographs, archives, and other documentary sources.

Do you issue Certificates of Authenticity for Paul Gauguin works?

Yes. Upon completion of our authentication process, we issue a Certificate of Authenticity (COA) together with a detailed and fully referenced Authentication Report.

APPRAISALS & VALUATIONS

How much is my Paul Gauguin artwork worth?

We will appraise your work and determine its value. Authenticity, date, medium, subject, period, dimensions, condition, provenance, exhibition history, literature, rarity, and market demand are among the principal factors affecting value. Gauguin’s market is particularly sensitive to period and subject matter, and major paintings from Brittany and Polynesia occupy a very different market from drawings, prints, ceramics, and other works.

SELLING

Can you sell my Paul Gauguin for me?

Yes. We specialize in private sales but use every appropriate selling method to obtain the highest possible net price. For an important Gauguin, the choice between private sale and public auction requires careful consideration of attribution, provenance, market timing, confidentiality, and the likely international buyer base.

Do I need an appraisal before selling my Paul Gauguin?

Yes. Your work should be priced correctly for its medium, period, quality, provenance, and intended market. An independent appraisal helps prevent both underpricing and unrealistic expectations.

Do I need authentication before selling my Paul Gauguin?

Yes. Authentication and scholarly acceptance are particularly important when dealing with a major artist such as Gauguin. An uncertain or unsupported attribution can dramatically reduce both the number of potential buyers and the value they are prepared to assign to a work.

Can you help me maximize the selling price of my Paul Gauguin?

Yes. Authentication, provenance, scholarly documentation, valuation, condition, presentation, timing, and the chosen method of sale can all influence the final result. We also provide collection management and market strategy advice designed to maximize value.

Should I restore my Paul Gauguin before selling it?

Usually not before obtaining specialist advice. Conservation can affect both the appearance and interpretation of an important work, and unnecessary intervention may be undesirable. We generally recommend documenting and assessing the work in its existing condition before deciding whether conservation is appropriate.

How long does it take to sell a Paul Gauguin?

The timeframe depends on the work. Important paintings can require extensive preparation because authentication, provenance, conservation, legal considerations, and the identification of qualified international buyers may all need to be addressed before a transaction. Correct documentation and market positioning are essential.

BUYING & ADVISORY

Should I buy a Paul Gauguin?

If you appreciate Gauguin’s work, certainly. If your primary objective is investment, we can evaluate the proposed acquisition, its authenticity and provenance, its position within Gauguin’s oeuvre, its market history, and alternative opportunities.

Can you review a Paul Gauguin before I buy it?

Yes. We provide independent pre-purchase research and analysis for collectors and investors. We can examine attribution, provenance, condition, literature, exhibition history, comparable sales, pricing, and marketability before a purchase is completed.

What should I check before buying a Paul Gauguin?

Three fundamental questions should always be answered: Is it authentic? What is its condition? Is the price reasonable? With Gauguin, additional attention should be paid to provenance, chronology, medium, exhibition history, published references, previous attributions, and the relationship of the work to documented examples from the same period. Prints, ceramics, and sculpture require medium-specific examination because questions of editions, impressions, casting, manufacture, and posthumous production may arise.

How can I avoid buying a fake Paul Gauguin?

Call us before you buy. Gauguin’s fame and the high value of his major works make independent due diligence particularly important. A convincing signature, old frame, label, or apparently historic provenance should never be accepted without verification.

Can you advise me on building a collection?

Yes. We advise collectors on the financial aspects of acquisition, ownership, collection management, and eventual sale. For Gauguin, we can also help evaluate opportunities across paintings, drawings, prints, sculpture, and ceramics according to budget and collecting objectives.

REQUEST A PAUL GAUGUIN AUTHENTICATION OR APPRAISAL

Whether you require authentication, a Certificate of Authenticity, an appraisal, valuation, provenance research, buying advice, selling assistance, brokerage, or investment guidance regarding a work attributed to Paul Gauguin, our specialists are available to assist.

Complete the contact form below or call us at +1 (212) 658-0466 to discuss your work with one of our experts.