THE AGO COLLECTION

ABOUT THE COLLECTION

AGO’s collection of close to 95,000 works ranges from cutting-edge contemporary art such as Untilled (Liegender Frauenakt) by Pierre Huyghe to European masterpieces such as Peter Paul Rubens’s The Massacre of The Innocents; from the vast collection by the Group of Seven to works by established and emerging Indigenous Canadian artists; with a photography collection that tracks the impact of the medium with deep holdings of works by artists such as Garry Winogrand and Diane Arbus; and with focused collections in Gothic boxwood miniatures and Western and Central African art.

The J.S. McLean Centre for Indigenous & Canadian Art

A portrait of Julian Cox

Our Curators

Led by our Deputy Director and Chief Curator Julian Cox, members of the AGO’s curatorial team represent all areas of our exhibitions and collections program.

MEET OUR CURATORS
Installation shot, Lisa Reihana

Notable Acquisitions in 2020

The AGO Collection grew in 2020 through the acquisition of extraordinary works of art. See a selection of new and notable additions, as chosen by Stephan Jost, the AGO’s Michael and Sonja Koerner Director, and CEO, and Chief Curator Julian Cox.

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COLLECTION AREAS

Munn's Cows on a Hillside

Canadian Art

We have an outstanding collection of historical Canadian art, with an emphasis on the art of Toronto and Ontario.

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belmore's rising to the occasion

Indigenous

Indigenous art at the AGO currently includes works from First Nations, Inuit, and Metis as well as global Indigenous Art from Africa, Australia, and the Torres Strait Islands.

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Rubens, The Massacre of the Innocents

European

The Old Master Collection is comprised of three pillars: Dutch painting from the 1600s, Italian painting and sculpture from the 1600s, and French Salon and Impressionist painting from the 1800s.

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Otto Dix's portrait of Dr. Heinrich Stadelmann

Modern

The Modern Art Collection offers visitors a comprehensive experience of American and European art from 1900 to 1960.

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Hatoum's Socle du Monde

Contemporary

The Contemporary collection includes painting, sculpture, immersive installation, works on paper, photography, performance, video and sound art from international artists since 1960 and Canadian artists since 1990.

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el machete by tina modotti

Photography

The collection spans the history of the medium from the 1840s to the present day, and includes more than 70,000 works.

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Duhrer's Adam and Eve

Prints & Drawings

Our Prints and Drawings Collection spans the entire history of works on paper in the West from the 1400s to the present day, and intersects with all other collecting areas.

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the book of job

Library & Archives

The library’s 380,000+ volumes include Rare Books and Artists’ Books ranging from folios and art historical books from the 17th century to the present, illustrated books and magazines, travel guides, art sales catalogues, and artists’ books and multiples.

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Look:Forward

A view of Granovsky Gluskin Hall, featuring Expo Walking Woman by Michael Snow 1967

Look:Forward

Look:Forward aims to build on the momentum started with the Transformation AGO project in 2008 by adding great art to all public spaces, ensuring that our best artwork is on display and celebrating a legacy of donor generosity. 

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COLLECTIONS IN FOCUS

a boxwood bead

The Boxwood Project

Explore stunning gothic boxwood miniature carvings that have captured the imaginations of their owners and viewers for almost 500 years.

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an old photograph of a ship on the water

Malcolmson Collection

The Malcolmson Collection spans the history of photography from the 1840s, and includes representative photographs from each of the significant periods and styles of the history of the medium.

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COLLECTION RESOURCES

Marvin Gelber Print & Drawing Study Centre

Marvin Gelber Print & Drawing Study Centre

This state-of-the-art facility is open to the public and dedicated to the study of prints, drawings and photographs. It houses a collection of over 70,000 works which date from the 13th century to the present day. Find out more about the AGO's prints and drawings collection.

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a lady wearing a dress and monocle

Image Licensing

Find the image you need from the Art Gallery of Ontario, one of the most distinguished art museums in North America. AGO Images licenses to scholarly and commercial clients worldwide. Be inspired by Tom Thomson, James Tissot, Kennth Noland, Walter Trier and many more amazing artists.

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artworks from the AGO collection in Fudger Rotunda gallery

Requests for Loans

The Art Gallery of Ontario is committed to broadening access to its collections and supporting educational initiatives that promote a new understanding of art, through a program of outgoing loans. 

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Conservation team and curators examining an artwork

Conservation at the AGO

Conservation is the care and protection of cultural objects. As the caretakers of collections, conservators examine, research, clean and repair artworks, while also taking action to prevent future deterioration. Here at the AGO, the Conservation Team includes conservators, mat makers, framers and mount makers. These specialists work together to ensure each work will look its best not only for today, but also for generations to come.

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Jan Asselijn, Landscape with Ancient Ruins

Provenance Research Project

The AGO is committed to investigating the provenance of works in its permanent collection, particularly as it pertains the ownership history of European painting and sculpture during the 1933–45 period. The purpose of this is to increase awareness and understanding of the spoliation of works of art by the Nazis and others.

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a number of objects on display

The AGO's Deaccessioning Policy

The Art Gallery of Ontario cares for its collections according to the highest standards. Its resources should only be devoted to works of art that serve its mission and are worthy of such care. This occasionally demands that works be judiciously and carefully deaccessioned from the collections. The proceeds from this are reinvested in new works of art.

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O'Brien's the Ocean's Bride

Artefacts Canada

Thanks to the important contribution of this country's heritage institutions, the Artefacts Canada database contains close to 4 million object records and approximately 800,000 images from Canadian museums.

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