Frances Loring

Image: Museum of Toronto.

Frances Loring was a community leader who opened her home to Toronto’s arts community. Her art haven was recognized as the “most fascinating gathering place in the country” by A.Y. Jackson.

1887 - 1968 | Sculpture Artist and Community Leader

Frances Loring, a leading sculptor of 20th-century Canada, exhibited a versatile artistic talent spanning architectural designs to war monuments. Originally hailing from the United States, Loring and her lifelong partner Florence Wyle made a lasting impact in Toronto after their arrival in 1913. Their home and studio became a hub for Toronto’s arts community for nearly five decades. During World War I, Loring was commissioned by the Canadian War Records to sculpt industrial workers on the home front. Her illustrious career included membership in the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts, a founding role in the Sculptors Society of Canada, and representation at the 1960 Venice Biennale.

Today, Torontonians are reminded of Loring’s remarkable legacy as her lion sculpture in the Queen Elizabeth Way Monument (1939) watches over the city.

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