Whiteley on Trial
Page 39
investigates art fraud 9–10
role in case xii
testimony of 21, 214–15
Mademoiselle (painting) 84
Malvern Police Station 12
Maslen, Geoff 137
‘masterpiece syndrome’ 200
McBride, Louise 39–40, 120
McCaughey, Patrick, on Whiteley 16
McCulloch, Susan 126
McDonald, John, on Whiteley 16
McDonnell, Bridget 284
McGrath, Sandra 72
McKenzie-Murray, Martin 95
Menzies, Rod 116, 129
Menzies Art Brands 102
Milburn, Rosemary
author attempts to check testimony 316–17
role in case xii
testifies for Gant 19
testimony of 25–8, 37, 183–7, 248–9
MinterEllison file on Gant case 272–3
Modigliani, Amedeo 117
Mokbel, Tony 144
Moodie, Simon xii, 150
Morel, Guy
authenticates A Private Affair 22–3
case brought by 20
finds Fred Williams signatures 6
Gant on 106–7
notifies police of fraud 9–10
on guilty verdicts 268
photographs locked storeroom 9, 155
role in case xiii
testimony of 21–2, 159–61
Mulholland, Henry 62
Murakami, Takashi, paintings by 84
My Armchair (painting) 73, 111
Myatt, John 134
Myers, Allan 138, 246
Myers, Maria 280
Nall, Stephen xiii, 134
Nasteski, Steven
artworks bought by 18, 113–15, 278
author interviews 82–8
background of 88–9
drops police complaint 20
Gant on 104–5
on guilty verdicts 269
purchase price refunded to 292
relations with Lichtenstein 80
role in case xiii
seeks to authenticate paintings 31, 76–8, 156
testimony of 176–8
Wendy Whiteley on 65
National Art School, Darlinghurst 49–50
National Gallery of Victoria catalogue collection 182–3
Newton, Patrick, on Siddique 282–3
Niagara Galleries, Melbourne 101–2, 126
Night Watch (painting) 271–2
Nolan, Sidney 39, 89, 117, 269, 273–4
Nude Beside the Basin (painting) 118–19
Nuttall, Charles 137
Nuttall, William 101–2, 108
O’Connor, Francis V 43
Ojjeh, Mansour 39, 111
Olgas for Ernest Giles, The (painting) 16
Oliphant, William K 273
O’Loughlin, John 319–20
O’Malley, Nick, interviews Gant 285–6
Orange Lavender Bay (painting)
photographed for catalogue 34
attempts to authenticate 31–3, 77–8, 174–7, 312–15, 318
Crawford on 113–16
Drake purchases 181–2
Gant on 104, 223–4, 235–6, 254
Morel’s photographs of 155
Nasteski purchases 85–8
Pearce on 70–1
Playfoot and 51, 111–13, 172–3, 292
produced in evidence 18, 152
Rincon frame on 81
role in case ix
Siddique on 139
sold by Gant 156–7
Stein’s opinion on 51
testimony on 195–7
Wendy Whiteley on 29–30, 65, 209–10
Owens, Nicholas, on Siddique 282–4
Paella Pan, The 107
paint, ascertaining age of 54, 319
Paris (Summary) (artwork) 238–9
Pearce, Barry xiii, 66–75
Pemberton, Georgina 175, 177
pentimenti 174
Perceval, John, Gant sells painting by 38–9
Peters, Lance 75
Petöfi, Sándor 41
Playfoot, John
compensation order to 290
Crawford seeks information from 114
Gant and 86–7, 103, 110–12
Orange Lavender Bay and 51, 111–13, 172–3, 292
role in case xiii
testimony of 172–5
Playfoot, Suzanne 112, 174–5
Polk, Ken 320
Possum, Clifford 319–20
Prasad direction 214, 242
Pridham, Andrew
alleged forgery sold to 11, 15
compensation order to 290
fails to recoup loss 292
Gant on 105
on guilty verdicts 269–70
pursues civil case 20, 39
response to outcome of case 314
role in case xiii
sends painting for verification 31, 79
sues Anita Archer 120–3
testimony of 188–9
Wendy Whiteley visits 61–2
Priest, Justice 298
Private Affair, A see A Private Affair (catalogue)
Provenance (book) 134
provenance, legal status of 201–3
Purves, Stuart
on authenticity of paintings 313
on Gant 109
on Orange Lavender Bay 139–40
records match with Gant’s 317
role in case xiii
Quintas, Christian
allegedly supplies paintings to Gant 76
artworks sent to 27–8
involved in sale of Big Blue Lavender Bay 122, 124
role in case xiii
Radford, Ron 136
Red Picture with Horses (painting) 320
Regional Galleries Association of Victoria Conservation Centre 52, 136
Rellim, David xiv, 323–4
Restellini, Marc 117
Ribbands, John
as junior defence counsel 149
author interviews 130, 240, 261–4
defence of Siddique 158–9
Le Tet faxes 125
on bail application 297
on Crown conceding appeal 302
on Provenance (book) 134
on success of appeal 305–6
questions Doyle 182–3
questions Rincon 166–7
role in case xiv
Rice, Gavan 246
Richter, Robert xiv, 20–31, 64–5
Rincon, Antonio
frames made by 36–7, 78–9, 81–2, 155
role in case xiv
testimony of 166–8
Robinson, Ian xiv, 299–300
Rosales, Glafira 178–9
Rozencwajg, Charlie 11–12
Saturday Paper, The, Gant’s interview with 95
Savill, Denis 51, 114
Scheding, Stephen 69
Schlicht, Rollin 59
Schubert, Win 39
Schultz, Richard 85
Sharpe, Vivienne 40
Siddique, Mohamed Aman
appeal granted 298, 301–5, 311–12
arrested by police 10–11
background of 281–3
buys frames from Rincon 78–9
character witnesses for 246
committed to trial 36
court appearances 14–15, 95, 142, 149
credentials of 52–3
family appeals for clemency for 281–2
followed by private investigator 86
found guilty of art fraud 8, 265–7
Gant on 103
mental state of 278–83
Nall on 135–6
Playfoot on 112
relations with Wimhurst 4–7
reported actions of 236
restoration work by 136–8
role in case xiv
sentencing of 291, 294–7
sets up own business 138–9
Stein on 50
Victorian Art Conservation owned by 3–4
witness f
or Gant at earlier trial 272
Silbert, Gavin 308
Simon, Richard
doors ordered by 162–5
role in case xiv
Siddique’s alleged remark to 153
testimony of 22–5, 168–70
Skase, Christopher 144–5, 288
Sloggett, Robyn
advises police 10
asked to authenticate paintings 124, 155–6, 273–4
asks Lichtenstein to authenticate painting 79
Gant on 104
Gant’s relations with 100
Gyorffy on 43
misses ‘Brett Whiteley’ signature 18
on Borg 270
Playfoot on 112–13
role in case xiv
Siddique’s relations with 140
Stein on 53–4
testimony of 31, 37–8, 195–204
Smallwood, Paul xiv, 292–3
Smith, Bernard 101
Smith, Geoffrey xv, 113, 174
Sontheimer, Michael 321
Spencer, Janice 71–3, 105–6, 210–11
Spencer, Ronald D 43
splitting double-sided paintings 52–3
Stary, Robert xv, 132–3, 150, 298
State Library Victoria, file on Gant 126
Stefanec, Justin
at appeal 303, 305
author interviews 12–14
interviews Gant 220–34
investigates art fraud 10
role in case xv
testimony of 236
Stein, David (conservator)
author interviews 49–56
on Orange Lavender Bay 114
role in case xv
Stephenson, Peter xv, 109–10
Streeton, Arthur, painting by restored 137–8
Stubbs, George 31
Sunday Afternoon, Surry Hills (painting) 105
Sutherland, Kathie xv, 118–19, 265, 313–14
Sydney Harbour to the Spirit of Bill W (painting) 200
The Art Newspaper 179
The Balcony 2 (painting) 67–8, 198–201
The Expert Versus the Object (book) 43, 117
The Heroin Clock (artwork) 73
The Jacaranda Tree (On Sydney Harbour) (painting) 63
The Olgas for Ernest Giles (painting) 16
The Paella Pan 107
The Saturday Paper, Gant’s interview with 95
The Verdict (film) 260–1
Thomas, Rover 31, 294–5
Thompson, Arthur xv, 273–4
Three Picassos Before Breakfast (book) 50
Through the Window Lavender Bay (painting)
disappearance of 18, 82, 127, 130, 255–9
Gant uses as security 156–7
Lichtenstein sees 75
Morel’s photographs of 155
offered to Hobbs 153, 165–6
role in case ix
Tink, Detective Senior Constable 231–2
Todd, Fiona xv, 170–1
‘trophy paintings’ 170
Tucker, Albert, artwork in the style of 39–40
Turnbull, Malcolm, represents Janice Spencer 105
underpainting as Whiteley technique 62–3
Unfinished Beach Polyptich (painting) 269
University of Melbourne
art training at 100
Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation 31
van de Wiel, Remy
argues no case to answer 239–41
at appeal 303
closing address to jury 257–8
defends Siddique 149, 293
on Borg’s closing address 251
on compensation orders 293
questions Archer 171
questions Kowalski 205–7
questions Lichtenstein 193–4
questions Sloggett 198, 202
role in case xv
van Gogh, Vincent 8
Venus with Wrist Watch (painting) 83–4
Verdict, The (film) 260–1
Verghis, Sharon 299
Vickery, Justice 135
View from the Sitting Room Window, Lavender Bay (painting)
as ‘rehash’ of earlier themes 74
authenticity of 298–9
cases involving 116, 129, 154
frame of 167–8
Gant on 227–9, 234–5
Gant purchases 17
Le Tet questioned about 179–80
motifs taken from 115–16
Rincon frame on 82
role in case ix
Wendy Whiteley’s impressions of 210
Walsh, David 8
Waterhouse, David 69–70
Weinberg, Justice 298, 303–4
Weir, Darren 97
Welles, Orson xvii, 19, 264
Wendy Whiteley and the Secret Garden (book) 60
White, Patrick 72, 81
Whiteley, Arkie 59–60
Whiteley, Brett
artwork for Peter Hickey 299–300
catalogue raisonné compiled 118–19
film of shown in court 238–9
Gant on 104
Lichtenstein on 75–6
materials used by 50–1
Nasteski on 91–2
National Art School 49
paintings in the style of 5
Pearce on 73–5
quote from xvii
record prices during 2007 art boom 16–17
role in case xv
techniques used by 16, 62–3, 195–7, 208–9
Whiteley, Wendy
attends committal hearing 25
author interviews 56–66
Gant on 105–6
Gyorffy on 44
Nasteski buys painting from 83
on Big Blue Lavender Bay 123
on guilty verdicts 268–9
on Orange Lavender Bay 87, 114, 176
on Richter 64–5
on success of appeal 305
relations with Nasteski 90
role in case xvi
testimony of 28–9, 37, 207–13
Whiteley: An Unauthorised Life 58
Williams, Fred 6, 117, 126, 140, 249
Williams, Roland 295
Wilson, Ashleigh 57–8
Wilson, Kate 44
Wimhurst, Jud
author interviews 3
on giving testimony 325
on guilty verdicts 268
role in case xvi
testimony of 161–2
Woman, Basin and Heater (painting) 119
Woodhouse, Macgregor, on Gant 284
Woodward, Jim 89
Wraight, Trevor
argues no case to answer 2
at appeal 303
closing address to jury 251–6
defends Gant 150, 157–8, 160–3, 168
on storing paintings 152
on success of appeal 309–10
questions Lichtenstein 195
questions Milburn 186–7
questions Wendy Whiteley 210–13
role in case xvi
seeks stay of sentence 277
threatens to have jury discharged 192
Wynne Prize for landscape, Whiteley wins 63
Zubans, Ruth 69
Brett, Arkie and Wendy Whiteley arrive in Sydney after leaving Fiji in November 1969. Martin Brannan/Fairfax Syndication
Art dealer Peter Gant (left; Dominic Lorrimer/Fairfax Syndication via Getty Images) and conservator Aman Siddique (right; Jason South/Fairfax Syndication) arriving separately at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in 2015.
Brett Whiteley (Australia; England, b.1939, d.1992)
The balcony 2, 1975
Oil on canvas, 203.5 × 364.5 cm
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Purchased 1981
Photo: Christopher Snee, AGNSW, © Wendy Whiteley, 116.1981
The alleged forgery Big Blue Lavender Bay. Kate Ballis
Brett Whiteley (Australia; England, b.1939, d.1992)
Big orange (sunset), 1974
Oil and collage on wood, 244 × 305 cm
> Art Gallery of New South Wales, Gift of Patrick White 1975
Photo: Jenni Carter, AGNSW, © Wendy Whiteley, 36.1975
The alleged forgery Orange Lavender Bay. Kate Ballis
The alleged forgery Big Blue Lavender Bay in progress in Aman Siddique’s storeroom, photographed in October 2007.
Big Blue Lavender Bay in progress, with Brett Whiteley’s View from the Sitting Room Window, Lavender Bay (unframed) beside it, photographed in October 2007.
The alleged forgery Orange Lavender Bay at the drawing stage, secretly photographed in the storeroom of Aman Siddique’s Collingwood studio, in October 2008. Brett Whiteley’s View from the Sitting Room Window, Lavender Bay, (framed) is visible next to it.
Orange Lavender Bay in progress, with the authentic Brett Whiteley painting, View from the Sitting Room Window, Lavender Bay, (unframed) visible beside it, photographed in December 2008. Sandra McGrath’s book Brett Whiteley lies on the floor, open to the page illustrating Big Orange (Sunset).
The alleged forgery Lavender Bay through the Window in progress at Aman Siddique’s storeroom, photographed in February 2009. The painting was never recovered and remains missing.
Lavender Bay through the Window at a later stage, photographed in June 2009. Whiteley’s View from the Sitting Room Window, Lavender Bay, (unframed) is visible next to it.
Professor Robyn Sloggett, director of the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation, at work. Ken Irwin/Fairfax Syndication
Art collector and AFL Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham. Michael Clayton-Jones/Fairfax Syndication
Detective Senior Constable Justin Stefanec and the author inspect Big Blue Lavender Bay in police storage in December 2016. Kate Ballis
Wendy Whiteley leaves the Supreme Court of Victoria on 22 April 2016 after giving evidence in the trial of Peter Gant and Aman Siddique. Jesse Marlow/Fairfax Syndication
Aman Siddique (centre), flanked by his defence team, James Dowsley (left), Remy van de Wiel, QC (right), on 8 May 2017, leaving the Court of Appeal. In the background, John Ribbands (left) and Siddique’s son (right). Justin Mcmanus/Fairfax Syndication
Peter Gant and his daughters rejoicing after his acquittal on 27 April 2017. Justin Mcmanus/Fairfax Syndication