IS GAUGUIN PAINTING OWNED BY CROAT WOMAN ORIGINAL?

ZAGREB, BJELOVAR, LJUBLJANA, Dec 12 (Hina) - The story surrounding the controversial "Croatian Gauguin" which, if proved to be authentic could reach the price of DEM13.5 million, continues to intrigue the Croatian and Slovene public. "Is the Croatian Gauguin Original?", inquires the Ljubljana-based "Delo" daily once again with regard to Seida Valadzic and the painting by Paul Gauguin, the French expressionist painter, graphic artist and sculptor, which she owns. The painting has been proclaimed an "expensive forgery" by Slovene criminologists, who were assisted by the Christian Linz team of experts from Munich. At the same time, "Novi Bjelovarac", a paper based in the northern Croatian town of Bjelovar, claims the Croatian Gauguin "may indeed be from Bjelovar." "Delo's" correspondent in Zagreb recalls Valadzic's statement that she would "go through with it" and request that the Gauguin she owns be evaluated by the world's best known experts. "Novi Bjelovarac" reported Valadzic's statement that she received the painting "as a present from Milan Gaspar, a friend from Bjelovar, before the (recent) war in Croatia had begun." The unsigned "Novi Bjelovarac" article states: "Our sources investigated the matter and we have determined that a man by that name indeed exists and is living in Bjelovar." The article further states reporters have still been unable to contact Gaspar. If he really exists, will he shed more light on the Gauguin in Croatian hands? (hina) ha