Editorial: Lindauer mystery gets better

The latest editorial from Mark Story.

At first glance the name Gottfried Lindauer doesn't smack of Hawke's Bay.

Until you take a closer look.

The acclaimed Czech artist is praised internationally for his portraiture, particularly his depictions of Maori and his subject of special study - "Maori at home".

His landing here was as mysterious as it was serendipitous.

He dodged the Austrian military draft and left for Germany and, in 1874, boarded a boat to New Zealand. In 1890 he settled in Woodville, where he continued to paint until his death in 1926.

The legacy of the talented artist became even more intriguing this week when The Alexander Turnbull Library admitted it paid $75,000 of public money for a forged Lindauer portrait. It had earlier bought the portrait of Hoani, or Hamiora Maioha, signed "G. Lindauer", at auction.

A whisper from the art fraternity is the forger was living in the Bay sometime in the 60s and 70s. Who?

The more I think about it, the more local Lindauer sounds. Namely, in a wine sense. The popular Kiwi sparkling wine, Lindauer, is named after the artist. From all accounts the brand is New Zealand's most popular bubbly overseas. Hence, one of our most illustrious artist imports is posthumously our biggest sparkling wine export.

What a tantalising, tangential legacy. No wonder the mysterious (and obviously very talented) Hawke's Bay forger endeavoured to imitate the Czech.

One could say he even personifies a dry sparkling wine - boasting a busy top lip mousse and a long, delicate bead.

Regardless of who this Bay forger is, the myth that is Gottfried Lindauer just keeps getting better.