>>> Genuine Morrisseau painting, Royal Ontario Museum wanted to acquire, available for purchase

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~ Great opportunity for a serious collector and/or Institution

"Untitled" [Merman], 17"x38", © 1987 Norval Morrisseau

~ acrylic on stretched deer hide; ACQUIRED DIRECTLY FROM THE ARTIST 

/Click on image to enlarge and/or click HERE for detail of the Cree syllabics signature on front and click HERE to view this painting's reverse side/

"Nepii-Naba, the merman, who brought good luck to those who offered him tobacco and, in return, helped Indians to travel safely on lakes and rivers." ~ Norval Morrisseau *

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>>> Declaration by Mr. David Barnes:

 

"The above Genuine Norval Morrisseau artwork comes with irrefutable provenance directly back to the artist himself. Norval Morrisseau painted this artwork in January 1987. I acquired this painting on September 16th, 2006 from Mr. Galal Helmy, owner of the Maligne Canyon Restaurant & Gift Shop in Jasper, Alberta and EA Studios. The gift shop has  a spectacular collection of original Native Indian and Inuit art. Well-known artists include Norval Morrisseau, Eddy Cobiness, Jackson Beardy and the Hunt family of the Kwakiutl Nation.


Mr. Galal Helmy

Norval Morrisseau lived in Jasper from 1985 until early 1987. Mr. Galal Helmy says Morrisseau returned there in June 1987, and stayed until December 1987 when he returned back to Vancouver.

Mr.Helmy purchased hundreds of paintings directly from Norval Morrisseau which he produced while stayed at his premises. Mr. Helmy says that he took a photo of the artist with a painting for every artwork he had ever acquired from Norval Morrisseau.

The Government of Canada has often asked for pieces of Galal Helmy's collection to be included in their Canadian Museum of Civilization. Mr. Galal Helmy donated one of the Norval Morrisseau's artworks to the same institution "Self Portrait", 1986 which was exhibited at "NORVAL MORRISSEAU - SHAMAN ARTIST" held at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario from February 3rd to April 30th, 2006. This was the first solo exhibition featuring a First Nations artist in 126-year history of the National Gallery of Canada.
 

Mr. Galal Helmy with Mr. David Barnes, September 2006

This painting I am offering for sale is an untitled acrylic painting on stretched deer hide of a merman. The size of this artwork is 17”x 38” and it was signed ‘Copper Thunderbird’ in Cree syllabics on the front and was stretched over a wood frame (click HERE & HERE).

 

Dr. Trudy Nicks, who is Senior Curator in the World Cultures Department at The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) received this artwork from me on November 19th, 2008 as she intended to purchase it on behaf of this prominent instutution. ROM placed it in their cryogenic freezer while they actively searched for donations to buy it. They kept it for a year but it was returned to me on November 25th, 2009 by Ms. Tracy Forster, technician in the World Cultures Department at ROM as their institution was not able to raise the necessary funds. So I kept it in the museum packaging and put it in storage (click HERE). 



Dr. Trudy Nicks - Senior Curator
at Royal Ontario Museum (ROM)



This painting which has not really needed a formal authentication as it originates from the prominent collection of Mr. Galal Helmy who acquired this artwork directly from the artist, was nevertheless re-authenticated by reliable outside sources. The request for re-authentication on behalf of the ROM was made by Dr. Trudy Nicks of the Royal Ontario Museum and was successfully completed.

 

I am offering this painting for sale through this platform as I believe it to be "an educational initiative dedicated to the promotion of one of Canada’s most renowned Aboriginal artists" which honours his artistic legacy more than I have ever seen in the cyberspace to date.

 

Sincerely,

David Barnes, Orangeville ON

March 2013 " 

 

 

ASKING PRICE: $25,000 CDN


~ To see full documented history of this genuine Norval Morrisseau artwork as described above click HERE and to contact Mr. David Barnes click HERE.


* - Quoatation of Norval Morrisseau from the book "Legends Of My People The Great Ojibway" /The Ryerson Press, 1965/
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