Toronto Gallery Receives $50M Bernini Sculpture as Donation

Corpus Gian Lorenzo Bernini ca. 1650, bronze, Height: 174.0 cm (68 ") Gift of the Murray Frum Family, 2006 Photo Copyright: Salander - O'Reilly Galleries / Maggie Nimkin. Collection, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto

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Bernini Sculpture of Corpus Is One of Three Versions

Bernini's Corpus sculpture dates to around 1650. It is life-sized and reported to be worth $50 million. Bernini made three versions of this theme, one of which was destroyed during the French Revolution. The Spanish royal family holds the third work. The one donated to the Ontario Gallery was only attributed to Bernini about three years ago. It was perhaps the one the great sculptor made for this own collection.

The gallery will not unveil the Bernini sculpture until the summer of 2007 as part of its permanent collection. Frum purchased Bernini's work from a U.S. art dealer. He also had an interest in African art and donated a collection to the same gallery previously.

Brenda Harness, Art Historian

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