Norval Morrisseau Case Deepens as Art Expert Says the Artist’s Children Were in on Forgery Scheme
In Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice, Morrisseau expert John Zemanovich testified on Monday that the children of late Anishinaabe painter Norval Morrisseau were active participants in a forgery scheme involving the artist’s work. The case is tied to what investigators have called Canada’s largest art fraud, in which 1,400 fake Morrisseau works were allegedly sold between 2008 and 2021; Jeffrey Cowan was convicted last year after eight people were arrested in 2023. Zemanovich said Morrisseau’s children were “critical to the success of the fraud,” and estimated there may be 5,000 to 7,000 authentic Morrisseau works, with a potentially similar number of fakes. Lawyers for the Morrisseau estate had not yet responded due to court scheduling, though the estate has previously said it is working to restore clarity and confidence for collectors.
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This story was covered in Seized Treasures, Culture Cash, and Political Pressure