The Kunstmuseum Basel has definitively confirmed that Paul Gauguin's self-portrait, hanging in the museum since 1945, is an authentic work by the French post-impressionist master. The authentication follows extensive scientific analysis conducted after French art dealer and Gauguin expert Fabrice Fourmanoir questioned the painting's authenticity earlier this year.

Fourmanoir had claimed that the work, believed to be Gauguin's final self-portrait, was a forgery. The art dealer maintains that all works attributed to Gauguin and dated after 1903 are fakes, arguing that the artist was too ill to continue painting at that time. Gauguin died on May 8, 1903, in Atuona, French Polynesia. Fourmanoir suggested the painting might have been created by Gauguin's friend and caretaker, Ky-Dong, whose real name was Nguyen Van Cam. The dealer has previously identified four Gauguin forgeries in various museums.

In response to these allegations, the Basel Art Museum's restoration department conducted comprehensive microscopic examinations of the painting over several months. The portrait underwent analysis using technical photography imaging methods, including radiography and normal and UV lighting. Microscopic samples of the paint layers were extracted and examined by the Art Technology Laboratory at the Bern University of the Arts.

The scientific analysis revealed that the essential painting materials used in the portrait correspond to those typical of the period around 1900, materials also found in other authenticated Gauguin works from this phase of his career. However, the investigation also discovered that the work had been retouched in the facial area after Gauguin's death, as traces of titanium white were found - a pigment that only became widely available from 1918 onward. This later addition was likely made in preparation for a potential sale.

The museum consulted various international experts during its investigation, including the Gauguin Committee of the Wildenstein Plattner Institute in Paris. This internationally composed expert panel concluded without doubt that the work is a genuine Gauguin. Additionally, Lorraine M. Paterson, biographer of Nguyen Van Cam, supplemented the museum's research with further insights about Gauguin's friend and caretaker.

Based on all evidence gathered, the Kunstmuseum Basel concluded that it is highly unlikely the work is a later forgery. The museum believes the portrait was most probably created by Gauguin himself in 1903, possibly with assistance from Nguyen Van Cam. Importantly, the investigation found no evidence of any intent to deceive or create a fraudulent work, distinguishing it from actual forgeries.