In Russia, allegations have emerged that a naval officer produced and sold fake artworks under the name of Ernst Neizvestny, one of the most renowned sculptors of the Soviet era. According to the investigation, at least 30 fake sculptures and paintings were released to the market in the last six years.
Authorities state that these artworks generated a total profit of at least 90 million rubles. It was reported that collectors who purchased the artworks only realized they were fake after lending them to an exhibition at the Tretyakov Gallery.
Highlights
- At least 30 fake Neizvestny artworks identified
- According to allegations, at least 90 million rubles earned from sales
- Some artworks were revealed during the exhibition at the Tretyakov Gallery
- The accused individual is Maxim Koshkarev
The person at the center of the investigation
The first and so far only suspect is reported to be second-rank captain Maxim Koshkarev, who served as deputy chief of staff in the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet. Koshkarev was detained on April 28 and subsequently placed under house arrest.
He faces charges including copyright infringement, acquisition, storage, and transfer of counterfeit copies, and large-scale fraud. The investigation reveals that the sale of fake artworks targeted collectors.
Forgery revealed at the exhibition
The Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow hosted a comprehensive exhibition opened in 2025 to mark the 100th anniversary of Neizvestny's birth. The exhibition, titled "Neizvestny Period," opened in December and ran until May 12.
Reports that some artworks in the gallery were fake emerged on May 29. The exhibition's curator, Elena Gribonosova-Grebneva, stated that the artworks were not verified before the exhibition opened and that the forgery was discovered during the exhibition.
It remains unclear who and how this was uncovered. Nevertheless, the realization that the artworks were fake after being loaned to the exhibition has brought the issue of trust in the art market back into focus.
Who was affected
Among the names mentioned by Kommersant are Lyubov Agafonova, founder of Vellum Gallery, Roza Verkhovyna, director of the auction house "First Names," and Vyacheslav Yershov, executive director of the Prometheus Art Foundation.
The same report noted that Konstantin Ernst, head of the state-controlled Channel One television, was initially mentioned as a victim but later corrected to state he had no role in the case.
Heirs and workshop allegations
A source close to the sculptor's heirs suggested that Neizvestny's wife, Anna Graham, might have been involved in the preparation of the fake artworks. The same source also claimed that the forgers may have used molds originally employed by the artist himself.
These allegations are part of the investigation but have not been presented as confirmed conclusions. The case has revealed how Neizvestny's artworks have been exploited for years through fake copies circulating in the market.
Context: Ernst Neizvestny was considered one of the most prominent figures of Soviet art in the second half of the 20th century. It is recalled that after Nikita Khrushchev's harsh criticism of the 1962 Moscow Manezh exhibition, official channels closed to him, he was expelled from the artists' union, and his workshop was taken away.
Neizvestny later left the Soviet Union, settled in the USA in 1977, and died in New York in 2016 at the age of 91. One of his best-known works is the "Mask of Sorrow" monument in Magadan, symbolizing victims of political repression.
The course of the investigation shows how fake artworks can jeopardize not only the collectors' market but also major exhibitions and reputable institutions. It remains to be seen whether new names or sales will emerge in the case.
