Provenance

Barney and Marion Lamm, Ontario

Link Auction Galleries, St. Louis, MO

Private Collection, Alberta

Born in 1931 at Sandy Point Reserve, Ontario, Norval Morrisseau was a self-taught painter who founded the Woodland School, revitalizing Anishnaabe iconography. A member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts since 1970, his bold, colorful works featured heavy black lines, signed with the syllabic name Copper Thunderbird, given to him by his grandfather. Despite early criticism for revealing spiritual knowledge, Morrisseau’s influence grew, completing major works like the Expo 67 mural. He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1978, received honorary doctorates from McGill and McMaster in 1980, and was honored by the Assembly of First Nations in 1995.

Barney and Marion Lamm operated a wilderness resort in Ontario, (1945-1970) with assistance from the local Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) bands. Following an industrial mercury disaster in 1970, the Lamms became environmental activists on behalf of themselves and the Ojibwe. The Marion Lamm Mercury Library at Harvard holds the family archives on this history and its effect on indigenous peoples. Marion Lamm maintained personal relationships with many Anishnaabe artists, buying directly from them when they visited her home.