OTTAWA.- The National Gallery of Canada Foundation announced that it has received an additional gift from Stellarton, Nova Scotia arts philanthropists Donald and Beth Sobey for The Donald and Beth Sobey Chief Curator’s Research Endowment. This additional gift brings the financial value of their support to the institution to more than $2.2 million. The Endowment was created in 2002 with the objective of giving the National Gallery the opportunity to conduct and publish scholarly research of national and international significance under the guidance of its Chief Curator, Dr. David Franklin.

“It is a great pleasure for Beth and I to extend our commitment to the Chief Curator’s research activities, which play such a key role in advancing the knowledge of art,” said Donald Sobey, a member of the Foundation’s Founding Partners’ Circle and Board of Directors, and the former Chair of the National Gallery’s Board of Trustees. “We are also delighted to express in this way our deep respect for David Franklin’s rigorous and brilliant work.”

An internationally renowned scholar and Italian Renaissance expert who has been with the National Gallery of Canada since 1998, Dr. Franklin has just been awarded the Stella della Solidarietà Italiana (Star of Italian Solidarity) by the Republic of Italy in recognition of his knowledge of Italian art and his contribution to its appreciation in Canada. He is the only Canadian-born resident to receive this award.

“Curatorial research is a fundamental activity for art museums,” noted NGC Director Marc Mayer. “We value the reputation we have built on the national and international stages for stellar scholarship, as exemplified by the award conferred by the Republic of Italy on David Franklin, who we proudly congratulate. We thank Donald and Beth Sobey for their enduring support of this vital area.”

NGC Deputy Director and Chief Curator David Franklin added that it is “a privilege to enjoy such enlightened support, which remains rare and is envied by many of our colleagues in museums around the world.”

The National Gallery of Canada Foundation also applauds the leadership and generosity of these two patrons. “By increasing the capital of The Donald and Beth Sobey Chief Curator’s Research Endowment, this additional gift will enhance our ability to support the National Gallery’s curatorial research and publishing activities as they continue to evolve,” stated Foundation President and CEO Marie Claire Morin. “We are deeply grateful to Donald and Beth Sobey for their foresight and commitment to our mission.”

Since its creation, the Endowment has funded research residencies in Contemporary, European and American Art as well as the publication of Volumes IV and V of the prestigious National Gallery of Canada Review. Over the next year, it will fund a research residency in Indigenous Art.