Lindauer forger eludes police

A police investigation has failed to solve the mystery of who really painted a fake Lindauer that cost taxpayers $75,000. Wellington’s Alexander Turnbull Library was left red-faced last year when it emerged a painting it bought in 2013, supposedly by renowned New Zealand artist Gottfried Lindauer, was a forgery. A chemical analysis after the purchase showed paint used in the work Hamiora Maioha was of a type not available when Lindauer was alive.

The discovery prompted the library to refer the matter to police, who spoke to the painting’s previous owner before shelving their investigation because nothing was known about the art work’s origins.